17 comments/ 50024 views/ 56 favorites Under My Skin Ch. 01 By: Brunne © 2012 Brunne * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The voice spoke so close to my ear it startled me and I actually jumped a little. "Sometimes if you kick it, it helps." He pushed off from where he'd been leaning against the kitchen doorway. He'd obviously been standing there, watching me while I, oblivious, had been contemplating how to get a diet coke out of the machine. The machine that had just eaten my last 60p. I felt heat diffuse over the surface of my whole body. I get flustered easily and I didn't have to check in a mirror to know I was beet red. He filled a paper cup from the filter tap and stood, his back to me, tipping his head back and draining the cup in one go. I could only glower at his suited back, trying not to notice how the tastefully-chosen dark charcoal fabric pulled across his muscled shoulders. Or how his perfectly barbered hair drifted over the collar of his shirt as he drank. He was such an arrogant prick. I never knew why he found so much pleasure in goading me. No, he didn't say much to me at all...in fact, this was the first time in months he'd deigned to speak to me, and I doubt he even knew my name. But I could see it in his eyes when he passed my desk or when we rode together, silently, on the odd occasion we ended up in the lift at the same time. He managed an entire technical team. I was just a lowly admin assistant. I wore scuffed ballet flat shoes from Barretts (on sale). He wore gleaming Church's. I bought the meal deal from Tesco. He bought sushi platters from the restaurant around the corner. But what did it matter? What did I care about a puffed up preening peacock like him? Even his name sounded arrogant to me. Jarod. But there was that funny tingle in my stomach. It had happened again just now when his low baritone rumbled into my ear and right through to my insides and rolled around, pulling at strings I didn't want pulled. Not by him at least. It happened whenever I felt his eyes on me. Fuck him. I wasn't about to let myself be affected in any way. Not by the mocking glint in his eye. Not by the twitch of sarcastic smile on his lips. He was gone out the door by a good 30 seconds before the words I wanted to say popped into my head...Trust you to use violence to get what you want... Nice, but too late. As always. Shut up tingles. Fuck you too. * * * * * I tried to be ready for it the next time. Cursed myself for it but couldn't help my compulsive need to rehearse what I'd say the next time he caught me off guard. I needed to take him down a peg. I knew I'd blow it. I just didn't know why knowing this infuriated me so. It was the colour printer this time. Ominous lights flashed on the control panel, dots highlighting possible vantage points within the wretched machine where elusive half-printed pages lurked. I sucked on my thumb where I'd scalded it on some overheated part in the back. "Maybe you should try giving it a little kick..." I whirled, somewhat more ready for him this time, but realised very quickly that I was totally unprepared for staring up into his grey-blue eyes. "I'll kick you if you say that again!" Where had my words come from? For once they just popped right out. I regretted it instantly. I couldn't read the expression in his eyes, but it wasn't fuzzy chickies and bunnies. His hand grasped my wrist and I was propelled swiftly around the corner into the stationery cupboard. The door clicked shut. My wrist was still gripped, above my head, pressed against the cool metal of the shelving. I should say something. Something like No. or, Isn't this harassment. Or Please...kiss me. His mouth was on my neck. It wasn't a kiss, or a nuzzle. It was most definitely a bite. I gasped and gulped for air. The bite...it was sharp and it stung. The heat rushing through my body was instantaneous, but not from embarrassment. It was that dangerous kind of heat where you teeter on the edge and wonder what it feels like to burn away in that molten lava down below. Danger, my mind screamed. Voices outside the door. His mouth gone from my neck. His hand gone from my wrist. The door opening and closing. I was alone. My knees forgot how to work and I sagged against the shelving, finding air to breathe at last. My neck ached. Between my legs, I could feel wetness. Damn him. * * * * * I wore scarves for two weeks. I got some odd looks, maybe because it was July. My daily internal dialogue regarding him was choice and vibrant. No one had ever bitten me before. It bruised and changed colour, and finally faded away. But it wasn't gone. Not in my mind at least. I still knew exactly where it was, even when my skin went back to normal. I often caught my fingers drifting to that spot of their own accord, as if some unconscious part of me needed to revisit that moment. To feel again the stinging heat of his teeth on my skin and the forceful intensity of his body near mine. Not touching, just near. I sat at my desk each day, swamped with trepidation that he would walk past. Just as strong was the fierce hope that he would. In the end, the hope was disappointed, and the part of me that continued to curse his existence rejoiced. If he was in the office, he was paying an incredible game of hide and seek as I saw him nowhere for several weeks. The memory had just begun to loosen its hold on me when I encountered him again. Or he encountered me. I never knew whether these meetings were accidental or if he carefully planned them. It was late on a Thursday, and the open-plan office was practically deserted as I made my way to the lifts. I contemplated my options for a moment, and decided that the niggling twinge from my bladder was only going to get worse on the Tube ride home. I pushed through the door leading to the Ladies' and was about to place my hand on the bathroom door when the intersecting stairwell door opened to my left. I muttered the usual "Sorry," as a matter of etiquette, not really seeing who was walking through it. I had little doubt about who it was when a firm hand gripped me low on the throat and I was swiftly pinned against the wall. All the air went from my lungs, and I was left staring up into the piercing grey of Jarod's eyes, his lip twitching in what looked like a snarl. It wasn't his hand on my throat that stopped my breath, but the look on his face. Controlled, but feral. Danger, my mind screamed at me once again. I told my mind where it could go. I wasn't being assaulted. The truth was...I wanted this. I'd been asking for this. Excitement or fear roiled in my belly. I couldn't tell which. He must have noticed my eyes flick up towards the ceiling, because he pressed a little more firmly, bringing my gaze back to his in a hurry. "No CCTV here." Did he say it to reassure me, or to point out that even the security guard couldn't help me now? His voice was low and rough, and I wondered if I just imagined that he sounded a little out of breath. Maybe from climbing the stairs. He glowered down at me, his thumb moving imperceptibly against my skin, finding the hollow of my neck where my pulse beat, rapid and crazy. My wrist was grasped tightly and twisted behind me and I winced at the sharp burn that shot up my arm. "What? That hurts?" he asked, that mocking tone dancing over the words. I hitched my chin a little higher, glaring into his eyes, my defiance a blooming cloud in my chest. Fuck him. He wouldn't see me complain. Or give in. The hand on my throat released, and I gulped in a deep breath, desperate to keep the relief out of my eyes. And the disappointment. His fingers moved back to my throat, but this time they stroked my shoulder-length hair, pushing it gently back and away from my neck. His head lowered and he moved in. The edges of my vision went dark and hazy, but some sliver of consciousness won through. "No!" His head jerked back and he regarded me coolly. "Not there...it shows," I breathed, trying to focus. His thumb rested against the place where his teeth had been last. I waited for what felt like forever as he appeared to deliberate. He pulled his hand away. My captured wrist was twisted around a little further, and I yelped. I felt him tug at my blouse where it was tucked into my skirt. He methodically pulled it out all along the front of my waistband, the cool air hitting my skin as he bared my midriff. His hand invaded, skimming over my stomach. He had warm hands. Deadly warm hands. He dropped into a half-crouch in front of me, but instead of groping me he just pulled my blouse up, not even uncovering my bra. His dark head moved in and this time his teeth found my skin just along my rib. I could feel his hot breath on me as he devoured me, biting deeper, harder than he had before. My defiance in tatters, my body bathed in deep waves of heat, I could only gasp, my head rolling back and forth against the wall behind me. Footsteps on the stairs, the murmur of voices. My wrist was released and my blouse dropped back in place. I felt his hand at the small of my back as he thrust me through into the Ladies' bathroom, alone. * * * * * Several days later I'd finally stopped wincing when I moved, but my ribcage was bursting with rainbow colours. I'd accepted the fact that he got off on marking me. What it released in him I didn't know, but I know what it did to me. I was drafting the department calendar for the following month, deep in emails and post-it notes when my desk was darkened. I refused to turn for a moment, intent on selecting times and dates. Something landed with a soft clunk on my desk, and I turned to look at it, and then up. It was Jarod, staring off across the office, leaning casually on my desk, his phone lying smack in the middle of my notes. It wasn't the office-issue model, so it had to be his personal phone. He tapped his fingertips on the desk impatiently and spoke in a low voice. "I want a picture." I blinked, not comprehending. "What?" "A picture. You know...a photograph. Use my phone. In the bathroom." I sat, my face flooding with heat, my eyes darting around to see if anyone had overheard. "Go." And then he walked off, stopping to chat with the PAs as if nothing had happened. I stared at the phone, which seemed to be burning some black-hole in my paperwork. Denying myself the luxury of second thoughts, I snatched the phone and rose from my work station, walking as casually as I could in the direction of the bathroom. The irrational thought that everyone knew what I was doing flashed back and forth in my mind. No one looked up, no one paid any mind. When I pushed through the bathroom door, several girls from marketing were chatting and fixing their makeup. I slipped into a stall without making eye contact and leaned my back against the door, suddenly feeling very out of breath. He wanted a picture. He wanted...a picture. Why did this feel like more of an intrusion...an intimacy...than his mouth, his teeth, on my skin? Was this his trophy? Trophy for what? Making a silly office girl do things against her better judgement? All I could think about was the fact that he would have this in his phone. That he would look at this picture of me...of what he did to me...whenever he wanted. It was this thought that started the throbbing between my legs and the flooding wetness. The girls chatted inanely out by the sinks. It scared me how close I was to touching myself with them just on the other side of the stall door. I took a deep breath, and focussed on the phone. I finally found the camera function, and fumbled with my top, wondering how to get the angle right. It took a few attempts, but I finally had one decent picture of the bite-mark which didn't show anything else. He shouldn't even be getting this, I thought, but damn him...he had me hooked now. The girls left before I had to pretend I was really going to the bathroom, and as I escaped the stall, I caught a glimpse of my own reflection in the mirrors. Flushed cheeks, dilated pupils. I was a mess. I ran my hands under cold water for a minute until I was certain I was breathing normally. Grabbing the phone, I walked out to the hallway, my head high. When I got back to my desk, he was nowhere in sight. I debated, and decided to just leave the phone where he'd put it. He could come and fetch it if he wanted to. A few hours later I was returning to my seat after delivering some files to the managing director's PA. The phone was gone. In its place was a crisp new post-it. It just said 'Thanks Stephanie, Jarod.' His handwriting was firm, and slanted. As cocky and confident as he was. It was then that I realised I hadn't bothered to take his number. Or look through his phone. And that he did know my name. The idea that his phone was filled with pictures of other women and other bite-marks plagued me for some days afterwards. That and the fact that I was actually bothered about being the only one. * * * * * "You only sent me one." Warmth immediately crawled up the back of my neck at the sound of his voice near my ear. I was waiting in line at the cafeteria and hadn't seen him come up behind me. He'd spoken low enough that only I could hear. "You only asked for one," I hissed back, trying to calm the scattered tingles bouncing around my insides. "I didn't know you were so stingy," he murmured, nonchalantly rifling through the basket of crisps as if looking for a particular flavour. "You should be more specific next time." My mistake didn't register until he answered. "Next time, huh?" Scarlet, I stepped up to the end of the queue to avoid him, averting my eyes and doing my very best to ignore him. I was one person away from the cash register when he spoke again, his breath warm on my ear and neck. "Your tray..." "What?" "It's empty." I looked down with dismay and discovered he was right. How did he make me so fucking flustered? "I'm not hungry," I said, dropping my tray lamely to my side. I tried to find a way out of the line but I was trapped by the food cases and a large pillar. I thought I could hear him chuckling behind me before I fled towards the lifts, empty-handed. * * * * * I began to dread bedtime. Lying there, waiting for sleep to come, repeated memories flashing through my mind of him trapping me, holding me down. I even woke up from dreams I couldn't remember, my body arching off the bed and the ache between my legs crying out to be addressed. He'd barely touched me. Neither time had he even brushed his body against mine. Just his hands held me, and his mouth and teeth made their mark. Nothing else. It made me wonder if it was even a sexual thing for him, or just about control or some sort of power trip. Whatever it did for him, it was driving me crazy. So I just lay there, my covers pushed back, my nightie bunched around my hips. Whenever I thought about his hand on my throat my body lit on fire and all I could do was try to cool myself in the breeze coming through the open window. When he'd held me down, it was as if a different self kicked in. A different me. Like a light switch, flipped. It took me off somewhere, to some distant place, but at the same time I knew I'd never felt so...present. I didn't know what I wanted to have happen next. More covert encounters in corners of the office? More secret liaisons in random broom cupboards? Part of me said yes. Another part wanted to run away as far and fast as it could. The final part of me kept imagining him pinning me down on the bed and fucking me. This part was most definitely winning. I wanted release, but I knew nothing could even approach what just one touch from him did to me. Somewhere along the way I'd handed the keys to him, and he was driving this thing. Whatever was going on between us was in his control. So I just lay there, aching, trying not to think about his hands on me. * * * * * I dropped my handbag down next to my desk, and caught sight of the note as I went to sit down. 'In the drawer.' was all it said, in that narrow, slanted cocky handwriting, stuck to the bottom edge of my computer monitor. Cautious, I pulled top drawer open. Inside was a black box, about the size of deck of cards. Checking around me first to see if anyone was watching, I carefully slid the top off the box. Inside was a mobile phone. Nothing expensive, probably a throw away one. I tipped the lid over, and found another post-in stuck inside. 'Turn it on.' it said. Nervous of what I'd find, I slipped the phone into my handbag and made a quick exit to the bathrooms, locking the stall door behind me and closing the toilet lid before sitting down. I breathed deeply for a few moments before pulling out the phone. It was shiny and black. I found the power button, and after a few loading screens it was on. There was nothing much to see, and I just stared at it dumbly. The bars indicating reception slowly blinked into life, and I nearly dropped the phone when it buzzed in my hand. He'd set the phone to silent, but kept it on vibrate. A little envelope icon flashed slowly on the menu bar. A text. I fumbled with the buttons, suddenly aware that my hands were shaking, trying to ignore the rushing sensation in my stomach. Excitement or nerves, or both. The text opened. It wasn't just a text. It was my photo as well. There was my stomach, his teeth-marks, and the words, 'I think about this. All the time.' I had to read the words a second time before they fully registered, their impact like a slow punch to the stomach. One that made the muscles inside me clench and the ache swirl at the very centre in a painful spasm. One touch and I could come. One touch from him. I dropped my head between my knees, suddenly very dizzy and struggling to breathe. What the fuck was this thing? This love-hate connection that had gotten me like a drug. This couldn't be normal. This couldn't be right. The things I wanted him to do to me just weren't...right. When I could get my legs to work again, I stood there in the locked stall for some time, contemplating whether to just drop the damned phone in the toilet. To kill it. To erase that message and be done with it all. But my hand held tight, and I could only switch the phone off and bury it deep in the innermost pocket of my handbag. I don't remember much about the rest of the day. I performed my usual duties on something resembling autopilot. How do you get that sort of image out of your mind? Or those words for that matter. * * * * * I thought I could be strong and leave it alone. But it called to me, silently. Weighed like a ton-weight in my handbag and burned a hole in my mind. I couldn't help but need to see his text again, or stop the wondering about whether he would send another. I managed to make it until bedtime before pulling the covers over my head like a child with a new flashlight who can't sleep. It seemed to power up so slowly. Why had I turned it off? Fear of him calling? Only the previous text was there, nothing new. I waited for a few minutes, and nothing. Maybe he was just waiting for me to reply. I hadn't a clue what I would say in response to that. That I thought about it too? Could I bring myself to give him that amount of power over me? I could just see his infuriatingly sardonic expression now. But he liked a bit of a fight. I didn't know how I knew this...I just knew. I was finally sinking into sleep when a buzzing made me jump, startled. 'Are you awake?' The words stared up at me from the small screen of the phone. I checked the clock...it was after midnight. I slumped back against my pillow, torn about whether to answer. I could just ignore him. Pretend the phone was off. Pretend that I'd never even turned it on. But the ache was there, as always. In my body and in my mind. Under My Skin Ch. 01 'I am now,' I typed back with shaking fingers, and had to remind myself several times not to hold my breath. Just breathe. Relax and breathe. I jumped again when the phone vibrated against my hand. 'Is it gone?' I blinked for moment. It took a few seconds before I realised what he meant, but the penny finally dropped. I wasn't about to make this easy for him. 'Is what gone?' I answered. The seconds now seemed to drag, the wait excruciating, lying there wondering if he was texting at that moment or not. Finally, the buzz. 'You know what.' Another vibration, and the photo of my bruised rib stared back at me from the phone's screen. I acquiesced. 'Nearly.' 'Show me.' I buried my head under my pillow and pressed my hands against my ears. What the hell was I doing? I knew what came next. Another photo of the fading bruise. And then what? Photos of what? Where could we go but down and down... My mind was held captive with the thought of lying there on my stomach, his body covering mine, holding me down, pressed against me... The heat was overwhelming, I could feel myself begin to sweat with it. I was wet...everywhere. Damn him, damn him. I yanked my damp nightgown up to my chest and flicked through the phone's menu until I found the camera. The first attempt was usable, though he surely wouldn't miss the edge of my cotton panties at the bottom of the photograph, the shadowy curve of the underside of my breast at the top. But I wanted him to see. Wanted to see if it affected him. If it did something to him, maybe he didn't have all the control after all. My thumb hovered over the send button...then it was gone. Sent. I lay, waiting. I fell asleep, waiting. * * * * * The next day I was leaving a meeting when my elbow was gripped, vicelike. Skilfully manoeuvred around a corner and through a doorway, my eyes struggled to adjust to the darkened, empty meeting room. He let go of my elbow long enough to catch my wrists and press them against the wall at shoulder height. He was so near, I couldn't breathe. I could smell the soft edge of his aftershave. He leaned in, his breath hot on my ear. "You still only sent me one." I gulped for air and managed to whisper as defiantly as I could manage, "You didn't ask for more." He pulled away slightly, his eyes flicking down to meet mine before sliding away again. "I had to stop myself," he said, his voice sounding slightly strangled. "Stop yourself?" I asked, stupidly. A hand dropped off my wrist and pressed against my ribcage, slowly caressing through the fabric of my blouse. My knees lost their strength and I had to force myself to stay standing. "It stays longer than I thought," he said, thoughtfully, almost to himself. His eyes met mine again, searching. "You see it every day..." It wasn't a question, but I nodded. His thumb stroked over the spot where the bruise was fading. "Do you like it?" This time I was certain I saw something flicker through his eyes. Uncertainty? Vulnerability? I nodded again. Without warning, he pulled his hands away and stood back, distancing himself again. I couldn't move, and needed the wall for support. "This isn't a good place," he said, frustration showing through in his voice. He checked his watch and twisted it on his wrist several times while staring at me as if thinking things through. "You're free after work." It wasn't entirely a question. But I knew how I'd answer. I nodded, and found my voice, finally. "Yes." He leaned in again, his voice low, "I'll be waiting in my car. North corner, third from the end." He looked back at me for a moment, his hand on the door handle, then he shut it behind him with a soft click. I could only sag against the wall, cursing the moisture that threatened to trickle down my legs and the thrill of excitement churning in my belly. Stupid, stupid girl. * * * * * The day crawled, and I was kept later than usual with a presentation deadline, but when I finally shut my computer down, it seemed that the day had just sped by. I would say it was decision time, but I knew already what my answer was. There was no going back now. I'd never been down to the basement carpark, but I was pretty sure where the stairwell was. A few wrong turns and I finally pushed through the correct door. The smells of stale oil and engine fumes assaulted me, the air damp. I could hear the echoed rumble of a car engine pulling out on the far end of the garage, but otherwise everything was still and quiet. I'd gotten turned around in the staircase, so it took me a few moments to orient myself. I headed towards what I thought to be the north corner, the sound of my shoes on the concrete floor seeming much too loud in my ears. Maybe I'd stayed too late. Maybe he'd given up and gone home. Maybe. Tail lights flashed. Third from the end. My heart began to pound. Of course it was a nice car. A very nice car. Understated but expensive. It matched his suits. I had to go around the car to get to the passenger door, and could only see a dim outline of him through the rear windscreen. Fuck. What was I doing here? I fumbled at the door handle, but it popped open before I could get my fingers in working order. He was leaning across the seat, pushing the door open for me. I opened the door further, very careful that it didn't knock into the next car. I smelled leather. As I slid in, my polyester skirt against the buttery softness seemed like some sort of crime. This car demanded silk, at the very least. I tried not to think about how bare skin would feel against the supple upholstery. My bare skin. Fuck. "You came." I what? It took me a second to understand that he just meant I'd actually showed up as agreed and not...something else. I hadn't even looked at him yet. Possibly a product of the state of denial I'd been in ever since he'd cornered me in the meeting room. This was exactly what your parents taught you never to do. I know...I was no child, but still. I turned towards him only long enough to nod, and faced back to study the stained concrete wall in front of the car. He turned the engine on properly and reversed deftly out of the parking space. I was acutely aware of the arm he placed across my headrest. He didn't touch me, but I could feel how near he was, my hair in its untidy bun just grazing the back of his hand. I could smell his aftershave or deodorant or whatever it was he wore. It wasn't fussy, just masculine, clean. I tried not to like it, but caught myself breathing deep through my nose. Combined with the leather, it was enough to make me salivate. I squinted, blinded momentarily by the low sun as we reached the top of the exit ramp. I braced myself on the dashboard as we dipped out of the driveway into the street. Where we were going, I had no clue. I sat back, willing myself to breathe normally, watching him out of the corner of my eye. My peripheral vision took in the crisp white work shirt, the crease of his suit trousers at his hip, the lean muscular leg beneath the fabric, the way his shirt pulled across his broad shoulders as he changed gears. Heat flooded into my nether regions. I snapped my eyes forward again. We drove for at least twenty minutes, my poor brain losing track of the turns we made or the direction we were going. I know I probably should've been thinking of all the horrors that could happen to me, driving away in car with a man I hardly knew. But it didn't even cross my mind. The danger was elsewhere. The danger was how far I was willing to let him take me. Which was pretty far. He slowed the car on a dimly lit suburban street and carefully drew up to the curb, but left the engine idling. Why were we stopped here? I stared out at the glowing curtained windows of happy families. He put his hand to his shirt collar and tugged sharply at his tie, slipping the knot free, pulling the length of it from around his neck. After folding it he just sat looking at it, as if in thought. Then, tie draped over his fingers, he dangled it in front of me. "Put it on. Over your eyes." My stomach lurched, but I took it from his hand nonetheless. It was silky and soft, dark grey and probably expensive. I gave him one last look before finding the middle of the slippery fabric and wrapping it over my eyes. Between the slickness of the tie and my hair, the knot at the back wasn't easy to tie. When my hands dropped back to my lap I felt a sharp tug at the back of my head. The bastard was testing the knot. Something caused a slight movement of air near my face as if he'd waved a hand in front of me to make sure I couldn't see. Behind my blindfold, colours sparked across the inside of my closed eyelids, but everything else was total blackness. The rushing sensation in my stomach had returned. The car hummed back into life and I grabbed at the door handle as we started to move again. Some time passed...how much I have no idea. The road seemed to get rougher, gravel crunching under the tires and clinking against the underside of the car. When we did stop, the sounds of the city were gone. I heard the soft whine of a window being lowered, and wet, green smells flooded in. I leaned my head back, trying to breathe, clutching my hands tightly in my lap. "I can take you back." He was matter-of-fact, guarded. I shook my head, quickly reaching up to make sure the knot of my blindfold hadn't slipped. He must have thought I was about to remove it because my wrist was snagged firmly and pushed back against the seat. "Leave it." "I wasn't-" The grip tightened. I shut my mouth. His hold on my arm loosened slightly, and then let me go completely. My hand dropped with relief and a little gnawing disappointment. I could hear him shift in his seat. Being blind seemed to amplify the sounds around me, but it was incredibly frustrating not knowing what was about to happen next. I turned to face forward, desperately trying to keep my hands still and relaxed in my lap. For all that I wanted him to do something, anything, to me...I didn't want him to know how sick with nerves I was. How my heart was fluttering in my throat and my back prickled with sweat. "Face me," he said, his voice low but unflinching. I turned my body towards the sound of his voice as much as I could, but my knees bumped into the console, sparking pain up my leg. I reached out blindly for the dashboard to steady myself, my weight awkwardly pressing on my shoulder as I tried to do as he said. Warm fingers slid under my knee, roughly tugging it up onto the seat between us. I could feel my skirt riding up and I could only imagine what he could see as I sat now, my legs practically open in front of him. I hated wearing sheer tights in the summer, so my legs were bare underneath my skirt. At least it meant I'd shaved my legs. Small mercy. His hand paused on my knee briefly, then was gone again. "Just lean back," he instructed. It was a little awkward, but I managed to find a more comfortable position for my back in the corner between the edge of the seat and the door. My knee on the seat only slid higher, exposing more leg to his watching gaze. The cool air drifting in through his window came into contact with my bare skin and I couldn't suppress a shiver. "Do you touch yourself?" Regardless of the fact that I was blindfolded and sitting in a compromising position, the question still hit me as...intimate. Invasive. It also sent a stab of stirring longing between my legs and I had to hold myself back from pressing my hand there through my skirt. I searched for my voice...though the truth wouldn't quite follow. "Sometimes..." "Just sometimes?" My wrist was captured again and given a quick, burning twist. "Tell me the truth," he growled. The pounding of my pulse in my ears almost drowned him out and the heated flush that spread like wildfire over my whole body was equally distracting. What was the point of lying anyway? "Okay. Most days..." There was a silence, then, "Have you ever...at work?" I could hear his voice getting hoarser, lower. So I did have some effect on him after all. This knowledge spurred me on. Foolish boldness. "A few times...yes." My chin inched a little higher. I thought I heard a rumble in answer. When he spoke again, his voice was flatter, as if he was restraining himself. "Slide your skirt up," came the instruction, followed by another smarting twist of my wrist when I hesitated. I found the hem with my free hand and pulled the fabric up towards me. It bunched around my thighs, caught underneath me. "No...all the way up," impatient this time, dropping my arm so I could do it properly. I pushed my foot into the floor and lifted my bottom. My skirt was soon up around my hips, my underwear most clearly on display by now. Not knowing what he was seeing was strangely freeing and humiliating at the same time. I could only be glad that the panties I'd picked that morning were one of my better pairs, not just plain, but lacy here and there, even if they were a laughable virginal white. Was he going to ask me to take them off too? I toyed with the thought of just going ahead and doing that, on my terms instead of his. The pressure of the cloth on my eyes made me want to lean my head back, and I settled into the seat, my panty-clad private places on view and my hands with no clue what to do with themselves. The hum of need between my legs and the hot burning of my wrist was trying desperately to answer the question of what the fuck I thought I was doing. "Show me your breasts..." he murmured. I hear him move in his seat and could only wonder if he was undressing along with me or just sitting there, impeccably dressed, watching me make an utter fool of myself. With shaking fingers I pulled at the buttons on my blouse, only able to bring myself to undo the top few, the fabric gaping enough that he should be able to see my bra beneath. When I dropped my hands again, I could swear I felt gentle tugs of my shirt being pulled open wider. But the caressing hand didn't come. Was that what I was waiting for? Did I really expect a soft touch when all he'd offered so far was pain? "How do you usually make yourself come?" This time the question was heard by my whole body and while I managed to bite back the moan that attempted to force its way out of my chest, my hips arched slightly off the seat in response. Could words alone have such a powerful effect? The aching came in waves, the suddenness of it almost painful, like a swimmer's cramp. How did I usually do it? I had to think about it very slowly, very carefully as if I was drugged and taking mental steps through treacle. "I...I touch my breasts first." "Do it...now." Tentative at first, but soon pulled in by the swirling in my head, I pressed my hands against my breasts through my shirt, the nipples already springing up and pebble-hard against my palms. My earlier shyness swiftly evaporating, I tugged at the few remaining buttons of my blouse and bared my lace-covered breasts to the cool night air. "And then...?" he patiently, but tinged with strain. Was he hard? Was what I felt between my legs the same as he felt with his dick? What was it about this that he was getting off on? The watching? Me being at his mercy? Did it matter? My voice was nowhere to be found, so I just showed him, my hand drifting between my legs and pressing against the soaking dampness of my underwear. The buzz of need that had been building ever since the stationary cupboard could no longer be ignored, and I couldn't slow my fingers as they pressed where I ached to be fucked, and ground the heel of my palm against the throbbing nub of my clit. Could I go beneath the panties? Did he want that? I froze, trying hard to slow my breathing and pull myself back from the precipice edge of that wild feeling. "What do you want me to do?" I managed to whimper, cursing the shakiness and breathiness of my voice. Did I hear a growl? He inhaled more audibly. Then, "What do you want to do?" What did I want to do? I wanted to be held down and fucked until I screamed, but could I say that? Even if I begged for it, would I get it? That was not the answer he was looking for, except to deny it, of that I was sure. But there was another truth, a deeper one. Admitting it meant putting it in his hands. I took a deep breath before the plunge. What did I want to do...? "Whatever you want. I want...whatever you want." Silence, for what felt like an eternity. I nearly tore the blindfold off in my need to know. My ears strained, and eventually I could make out the hoarse sound of his breathing. Even with the window open it felt incredibly hot in the car. I wasn't expecting the hand at my throat, pressing me against the edge of the car seat. His voice came from somewhere close to my ear. "Don't fuck with me." I lifted my chin, gulping for air. "I'm not..." I wasn't. "I'll ask again...what do you want to do?" "I told you...whatever you want." I waited, trembling, his thumb digging in sharply along the line of my jaw, sparks going off in my mind with all the things he might actually want. My imagination ran into a wall...this wasn't anything I'd ever prepared for. He must have decided to give me the benefit of the doubt this time because his grip slackened, and he dropped his hand from my neck. Not before trailing his fingers along the place he'd first marked me. "Give me your panties." Oh god. Okay. So I was going to sit there with my skirt hiked up to heaven with my whole pussy on show to him? I tried to ignore the increased flood of wetness that particular thought caused me as I hitched my bottom off the seat and fumbled beneath the bunched folds of my skirt for the waistband. I steeled myself, and tugged them down, pausing just before I bared all to him. Fuck it. I pulled them down over my knees, kicking off my shoes so I could slip the damp lacy fabric over my feet. I sat back and instantly fell in love with the feel of the soft, warm leather against my skin. For a second I worried that I'd make a mess of it, then realised I really didn't care...it just felt that good. I held the panties, bunched in my hand. I didn't know exactly where he was or where to put them. "Over here," he growled, and I thrust my intimate parcel towards his voice and dropped them as if they'd scalded me. I only heard a soft grunt in reply and could only imagine what the hell he wanted them for. I was facing forward again, my knees clinging together despite my earlier bravado. I knew it couldn't last for long, and sure enough, warm fingers wound their way behind the back of my knee once again and dragged me bodily to face him. I could feel my legs trembling, working against their natural instinct to protect the vulnerable centre of my body. The hand lingered this time, and I was glad of the blindfold...it hid the blush steadily rising up my cheeks. The only word for what I was feeling was mortification. The sort of embarrassment you felt you could possibly die from. I could almost feel his eyes on me, slowly evaluating, savouring their prize. I wasn't shaved or waxed or anything fancy, though by now I wished I'd only had the foresight to prepare. My hands twitched at my sides, desperate to cover myself, but I didn't dare. My wrist still ached from my last reprimand. Cool air from the open window found its way to the wetness between my legs, and I couldn't repress a shiver. Of cold or excitement I couldn't tell. My whole body was just one tightly wound spring, tense with dread or anticipation...again, I wasn't sure which. The silence from his side of the car was starting to get to me. I could occasionally hear him breathing, but other than the quiet night sounds from outside the car, my ears were filled with the rush and thud of my own heart pounding like thunder in my ears. Under My Skin Ch. 01 "Go on..." The command was gruff. Softly spoken. "I..." "Touch yourself." Part of me ached for him to do it himself...to bridge the chasm between us and make the whole thing somehow more...normal. Instead, we played this game of cat and mouse. And for some strange reason it was more intimate than any touch from him could have been. My hand fumbled past the bundled creases of skirt and my fingers were soon wet with my own juices. Incredibly wet. What the hell had he done to me? I explored the slipperiness, forgetting for a millisecond that I had an audience. "Slow...go slow." Did I hear a breathlessness in his voice? Was I arousing him? It gave me confidence, and I relaxed back into the seat a little, slowing my fingers, making the movements through the slick folds more deliberate. My thumb found the raised nub of my clit. I gasped aloud at its sensitivity, my head falling back against the seat, lost in the power of my own arousal. I wanted something inside me so badly. Anything...fingers, his cock...anything. "Please..." Was that me whimpering? "Please what?" He was definitely breathing hard now, his voice low and choked. Why was I asking permission? I didn't know. "I want...my fingers...inside..." I could hear the deep intake of breath before he answered. "Yes, go on..." I didn't hesitate, sliding my other hand along my thigh and seeking out the deep longing ache, thrusting two fingers deep into the wet heat. The moaning sound was coming from me as I sat, back arched, both hands occupied in sending the thrilling sensations up through my body. Another touch to my clit told me I was not far off from one hell of an orgasm. Never had everything felt so on fire, so intense. "I'm going to come..." I panted. He grunted softly then muttered, "Not yet. Not until I say..." I pressed my fingers tight against myself, keening softly in frustration, trying desperately to hold it back. I was so close. I felt a hand gripping my chin. His thumb on my bottom lip, rubbing slowly back and forth. He pushed against my lips until they parted and his thumb invaded my mouth, still stroking along my lip. I knew what he wanted. I sucked on it, gently at first, then stronger, swirling my tongue around the soft pad and the ridge of his knuckle, drawing it deeper into my mouth, sucking hard. I thought I heard him groan. "Come..." he growled, his voice low. I mumbled against the digit in my mouth. "Come for me...now," he said, stronger this time. I was so near the edge it didn't take much. My fingers were deep, curled into that mysterious spot. My clit was so sensitive I had to press against it with the flat of my hand and just hold it as the spasms took me over. It was deep and sharp and went on in wave after wave. I moaned and sobbed against the hand cupping my chin, nearly biting down on his thumb as my orgasm had me arching up off the car seat. Warmth on my thigh. His lips, then his teeth. Biting sharply into the soft flesh so close to where my hands were pressed deep and tight into the pleasure that crashed through my body. Somewhere in the middle of the madness I thought I heard his voice softly say, "Good girl." * * * * * I can't remember how long I sat there, my head leaning back and towards the window on my side of the car, my sightless eyes staring into nothingness. My hands pressed against myself, partly to cover my nakedness, partly to hold in the last throbbing sensations of the most incredible orgasm I had ever experienced. Every pulse seemed to spark off a flash of smarting pain from my new bite. I couldn't bring myself to turn towards him. I was desperate to pull my clothes back into place, but didn't dare. After an eternity I heard him shifting in his seat. The engine started. What the fuck? Was he going to drive me back into town half naked? A blast of heat flowed over my bare legs, and I was suddenly aware of how chilled I'd become. The car didn't move. He'd just put the heater on. I breathed again. I felt his hand on the back of my neck. I stiffened, my shoulders tensing, but his touch wasn't rough or brutal. The thumb I'd sucked rubbed gently against the sensitive spot beneath my ear. A caress. Strange, that it would be the last thing I expected. His voice was in my ear, so close that I could feel his breath move against my hair. "You please me very much," he said, almost sounding surprised at this fact himself. Heat, unbidden, flowed up through my body. "You can cover yourself now," he muttered softy, though not unkindly, and let me go. * * * * * He took me home. I don't quite know how he knew where that was. When the car stopped and I felt the warmth of his body lean across mine to open my car door and then release my seatbelt clasp, I very carefully found my feet and wobbled out into the cool night air. Yes, I was still blindfolded. I don't know if that was just because he hadn't told me to take it off or if I couldn't bear to look him in the eye after what had happened. All I know is that I only pulled it from my eyes when I heard the car door close softly behind me. I checked for my keys in my handbag and, mustering what dignity I could, climbed the steps to my house and let myself in. I didn't turn back. As the front door closed I heard the car pull away. He'd waited until I was inside. What sort of man blindfolds a girl and makes her strip for him, but makes sure she gets safe inside her flat? I tried not to sort out the answer to that particular question when I lay in bed, desperate for sleep to come over me. But how could it, when my nose was pressed to the silky fabric of that particular man's tie, shamelessly drinking in the clean scent of his aftershave. * * * * * To be continued... Under My Skin Ch. 02 © 2012 Brunne * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Okay, pretty overwhelmed by the comments I got on the first chapter. Thank you. Apparently it really is as fun to read something as to write it. Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did. Brunne * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * It wasn't until I'd undressed myself that night that it occurred to me that I was missing a rather vital item of my wardrobe. He still had my white lace panties. Oh well, I had his tie, right? So he wasn't the only one with an odd, disturbing trophy for what had turned out to be the strangest, most exciting car ride I'd ever been on. In a weird way, not being able to see myself do something almost made it seem as if I hadn't actually...done it, somehow. That it might not have actually happened. There was an element of unreality that clung to my memories which I couldn't readily shake. But there was the tie. I couldn't unreality-away the tie. Or the bruise that spread steadily across my inner thigh. I kept the mobile phone charged, and checked it daily. I developed eyes in the back of my head at work. Nothing. I tried to access his email calendar through the central address book to see if he'd taken holiday time, but after staring at the pop-up message telling me I'd need to ask permission for access, I just heaved a weary sigh and hit 'Cancel'. He owed me nothing. No promises made. No promises broken. Okay, so he'd had his fix and moved on. He'd said I'd 'pleased him'. So maybe that was the end of it? Perhaps his jollies pinnacled at watching young girls masturbate on his custom leather car seats? I'd heard of stranger things. But it was a bad sign. The fact that I didn't actually check the phone just daily. It was sort of becoming an obsession. A bad habit I just couldn't...kick. Just when I thought I'd started to forget, some sensation would flash back full-force. His gentle caress on my neck. The breathlessness from being trapped by his hands. His eyes. Nothing haunted me quite like his eyes. All silvery flint, with a steely harshness that covered for some other thing. I didn't know for sure, but there had been moments when he'd dropped his guard, just for a millisecond. Something else lived behind that impenetrable shield, and it tugged at me and wouldn't let me go. I thought I'd heard it in his voice too, pacing restlessly like some caged animal. * * * * * It could only have been about a week that passed. But time doesn't always play by the rules or go by in an orderly way like it's supposed to. It was going to be another restless night. Too warm, too frustrated. When the phone hummed insistently against the smooth surface of my bedside table I just lay for several seconds, not breathing, convinced I'd dropped off for a second and dreamed it. But there it was again. Somewhere between trying to turn the light on and fumbling for the phone it ended up on the floor. I scrabbled around under the bed until my hand found the shiny blackness. Squinting, I could see the little envelope icon flashing. I blinked a few times, certain it was some sort of mirage (can you have a mirage if you're not in the middle of a desert?). I clicked the button to open it. 'There's something for you,' was all it said. I stared at it, frowning. That's it? I checked the details of the message just to be certain it was actually from him and not just some wrong number. It was then that I noticed the icon was still flashing. Another message. 'Inside your desk at work.' Well, that did me a great lot of good, considering I was at home. In bed. Was he just trying to torture me? A thought struck me, and a mixture of sickness and embarrassment did a slow roll in my stomach. Maybe he was just returning my underwear. The idea of him wandering around with my intimate garments at work was far from appealing. That was bad enough. But it was the finality of it. The end of the game. I took a deep breath and resigned myself to watching it winding down, spinning away into the dark recesses of my memory as some crazy thing I did once. No regrets, right? I went to push the power-down button on the phone, but it buzzed in my hand as if in protest. I did jump this time, and my hand shook as I opened the message. 'Are you okay?' Something flooded through me. A sort of relief. I pushed it away as soon as I felt it. It didn't mean anything... 'Fine. You?' I texted back. I knew it sounded curt, but he'd gone silent for a week, hadn't he? The wait was excruciating. I lay my head back on the pillow, my hand covering the phone where it rested on my churning stomach. When it went off again, I felt the vibration through my whole body. 'Tired. Lagged as hell.' My mind slowly digested this information, while the thought that this was the closest thing we'd ever had to a 'normal' conversation tugged at me. So he'd been away? Was that the cause of the silence? I didn't care how it sounded, I replied with a rather demanding sounding, 'Where were you?' Of course, I paid for it as soon as his answer came back. 'Why, did you miss me?' Bastard. Yes. YES. Damn you. But the vibration started again before I could come up with a suitable comeback. 'Is it still there?' I was tempted to play dumb, but the best answer was always the most direct one. The photo showed the curve of my inner thigh, the crescent of bruising on the pale skin, along with a goodly swath of my best black lace panties. The rest would have to be up to his own imagination. I couldn't resist a little smug smile as I pressed the send button. The reply was a good minute in coming. 'Fuck.' was all it said. And with that I knew the game was far from over. * * * * * To say I was early getting to work the next day was an understatement. I risked running into Jarod, but my anxious curiosity about what could possibly be waiting for me in my desk drawer propelled me out of bed as soon as my eyes opened. I found myself keeping company with only the most hard-core of the PAs in the silence of the near-empty office. I forced myself to do my usual routine, if only to calm my nerves. Handbag tucked away, coat on the rack. Computer booting through the various security screens while I made a wary foray into the kitchen for my caffeine fix. Considering I was petrified of running into him, it was pretty stupid of me to be floating around the office, practically on my own. I didn't breathe easy until I was back at my desk, ensconced behind my computer screen. He'd said he'd left it...whatever it was...in my desk, right? I pulled the drawer open with some caution, only to find a rather harmless looking envelope propped inside. No underwear. No trick snakes. The envelope had my name on it. It was definitely his handwriting. It was sealed, so I had to rip it open, which I did with ridiculous care. Inside was a piece of paper, folded in three. A small card fell out, but I only glanced at it for a second once I saw what was printed on the paper. What on earth? The letterhead had a Harley Street address on it...it was from a clinic. A quick scan of the text and I finally got it. Well, I grasped the content at least. It was a report. A health-check report...for sexually transmitted diseases. I dropped the letter like it was a hot potato. It had his name all over it and everything. What the fuck was he thinking, sending me this? It was confidential information! Had he given me the wrong envelope by mistake? I scrabbled on the desk for the small card that had come with it, hoping it held some clue. It was just a business card for the same clinic. It had his writing on the reverse side. 'You have an appointment here, just call them and tell them when. Up to you. It's all paid for.' It was signed simply 'J'. Eventually my jaw made its re-acquaintance with the rest of my face. I picked up the letter again and scanned down the rather horrific list of sexually transmitted afflictions, noting the all-clear notes next to each, the authorising physician's signature and stamp clearly showing at the bottom. Perhaps it was the early morning, the fact I'd only had a few sips of my coffee, I don't know. It took a little while for it to dawn on me what it all meant. So he wanted this...thing...between us to go further? As in...the needing-to-know-each-other's-sexual-health type of further? I couldn't decide if it was the coldest and most unromantic thing I'd ever heard of, or if it was the most responsible and grown-up gesture anyone had ever made towards me. Had he really the gall to make me take a test to ensure I wouldn't defile him? But then again...he'd done the test first. And had the guts to share the results with me, clear or no. Who was taking the bigger risk here? I couldn't deny the thrill I felt at the thought that it wasn't just some flash in the pan for him either. I also couldn't deny that the wretched tingles were doing their 'thing' at the thought of him doing anything to me that required a full medical exam beforehand! The letter was carefully folded and stowed away in the deepest recesses of my handbag. I sat and stared at the card for some time. Decision time again. I peered around to make sure no one was in earshot, switched on the mobile he'd given me and made the call. Damn it if I didn't ask for the earliest appointment they had. * * * * * Believe me, the second thoughts kicked in somewhere between the seemingly endless blood tests and the swabbing of places I didn't even know existed. Apparently I'd hear back within a few days. And, apparently he'd paid for the FULL package of tests and the rush on results. I'd had a quick peek at the brochures and had to muffle my audible gasp when I saw the prices. Unless the guy had some sort of frequent-flyer miles with them, it was far from cheap. I could see it now, "How was your first date?" "Oh, it was great...we swapped STD test results. His treat." But it kept me thinking. Forced me to face what was happening. It's hard to do that sort of thing and continue to exist in a state of denial about what you're actually doing there. The simple truth was... I hadn't a clue. It was some sort of mad rollercoaster, and like the old cliché of a moth to a flame I was drawn to him in some inexorable way. I knew I could get off the bus. I just didn't want to. * * * * * 'So?' I hadn't heard back yet, and I'd been staring at the same text message from him for at least a day. I could pretend I'd never gone for the test and that would be it. I could end it, right here. 'Done. Just waiting for results.' Oh silly, silly cow, I thought as I hit the send button. * * * * * 'Thank you, no need.'said his text. In the end it was nearly a week before they called me. A scanned copy of the report came through to my personal email, and that was that. It wasn't any great surprise that it only proved I hadn't been doing anything remotely interesting with my sexual life up until this point. I'd sent a simple 'All clear' to him and promised to bring the letter with me. To where...and when...I hadn't a clue. But apparently he trusted me? The phone hummed softly in my hand as I went to put it back in my bag. The little envelope blinked at me softly. 'Tonight?' The room suddenly felt a whole lot warmer. Surely anyone walking past my desk would see that I was glowing like a bright scarlet beacon. Oh god. Oh fuck. Why was I never wearing a matching bra and knickers set when I needed to be?! I could always go shopping at lunch, I mused... Another hum interrupted my mental shopping list. 'Bring sunglasses. Dark ones.' What? * * * * * My knees were already betraying me as I pushed through the carpark door. The safest thing in a million miles was the two silly pieces of paper folded together in my handbag stating we wouldn't harm each other infectiously. But even that was little comfort...they couldn't test for the sort of infectiousness this was. I tried to walk calmly, poised and elegant while lunch did battle with my nerves regarding the pertinent matter of whether it would stay down or not. Who was I kidding? I was petrified. Flashing tail lights, third from the end. Oh god. The door opened with a soft pop, his arm disappearing back into the depths of the car. I couldn't believe it had been such a long time since I actually looked at him, and every text and fantasy from the past weeks flashed in humiliating succession behind my eyes. I couldn't look at him. I just slid in and closed the door. I could hear him breathing quietly next to me. "You okay?" The soft concern in his voice was so unlike him I couldn't help but turn to him, and was instantly lost in those grey eyes. The things he'd seen since I last looked into them...was that a shudder or a thrill that went through me at the thought? I nodded, and tore myself away from the piercing inspection, grateful to hide in the shadows "I...I brought the paper," I offered, even though he'd said he didn't need to see it. "Do you want me to read it?" Strangely, I did. It was...intimate. I'd felt it when I read his and it didn't seem right to not be on the same footing. I felt through the pockets of my bag until I found it and thrust it towards him. I still couldn't look at him. He obliged me by plucking it from my hand and carefully unfolding it...taking the time to read it before folding it again and handing it back to me just as calmly. "Did you bring your sunglasses?" he asked, his voice neutral, giving nothing away. I nodded, pulling them out and showing them to him. "Put them on." The world went a little darker. "Close your eyes, and keep them closed." Ah. Another sort of blindfold? The sort that required a little more trust, and also meant... Fuck. We would be out in public. * * * * * I didn't know anything about cars, but I knew this one purred. I lay my head back against the headrest and just concentrated on the hum and vibration of the engine. It was oddly comforting...reassuring. Occasionally, I would feel something enter my personal space and could only assume it was just his hand in front of my face making sure I wasn't peeking. The nerves gradually subsided as we drove, in silence. What we were doing was just too strange to engage in chitchat. What would we discuss? Nice weather we're having? Are you planning to fuck me tonight? Either way, between the steady vibration of the car and my wandering thoughts I couldn't ignore the ache that was steadily growing between my legs. Breathing was getting a bit funny, and when I thought I could feel a little of his body heat radiating towards my arm, it was as if there was only air at the top of my lungs. My stomach just swirled. Like when you're strapped into the rollercoaster and you're nearly at the very top of the first hill and you're just waiting...waiting for that tell-tale clunk when the mechanism lets you go and everything tips slowly over down the hill in a blinding rush and you leave your stomach behind. I felt him changing gears and we bumped into a driveway. I braced my hand on the dashboard as we went down an incline, turning in a tight circle. Another carpark? I hadn't even asked where we were going. I wasn't sure I was allowed to. We sat for a moment in the silence of the garage before he was up, out of his seat and closing his door. I kept my eyes screwed shut. Cool air poured in through the door as he opened it and took my hand to help me fumble my way out. His hand was warm, steady. For a split second I thought I felt his pulse, racing, against my fingertips. Then his hand was gone and my elbow was firmly grasped instead. I was to be navigated. We were definitely in a lift. I sensed that other people even got in with us. There were polite murmurs, and probably nods. I fought desperately against the urge to look around and leaned into the steady grip of the hand on my arm instead. I lost count of the floors, maybe eight or nine. Mumbled goodnights were said amongst the lift occupants and I was ushered out onto soft carpet. Was this a hotel? An apartment building? I tried not to trip as he pulled me with him along the corridor. When we stopped, he placed my hand against the wall so I could steady myself. Who knew not being able to see made you lose your balance too. It was that or catching the scent of his aftershave that made me wobbly. Keys scraping in a lock. The breeze of air from a door being opened. His hand at my back pushed me through onto wood floors. I waited, blind and dumb as the door closed behind me. I could feel him behind me. Silent, breathing softly. I started to reach for my sunglasses, intending to keep my eyes closed, but he grabbed both arms and pinned them firmly behind me. I gasped for breath as the heat hit me, spreading up through my body, centring in a deep throb between my legs. The low growl in my ear wasn't the type you argued with. "Eyes closed." He held me there for a few seconds longer, and I wondered if he was looking down over my shoulder to where my breasts were thrust forward, straining against my blouse. His grip tightened, then dropped away completely. Something smooth...silky, brushed my cheek. "Glasses off...eyes closed." I obeyed, trying to hide the trembling in my hands as I folded the sunglasses and stuffed them into my handbag. He'd barely touched me and everything was on fire. It was cloth, smooth, silky cloth that he wrapped around my eyes and carefully secured at the back of my head with a firm knot. So I wasn't to see him. To even see where we were. It had to be a control thing. I wasn't complaining. If I couldn't see, it was as if a different me could be there in my place. Doing things I would never do. Experiencing things I would never have experienced. I let my handbag slide down my arm and drop onto the floor. And waited. I could hear him moving around. I think I heard him take his shoes off. The soft scrape of a closet door opening. I tried to figure out where I was by smell, but all I could gather was some sort of citrusy wood polish. It wasn't unpleasant, but it didn't tell me much. Soft footsteps approached. "Undress." I blinked behind my blindfold. Everything? Did I take off everything or just- I paid for my hesitation. His light grip on my wrist threatened to turn into his favourite stinging twist, and my chin instinctively rose a notch, anticipating the pain. "Everything...undress," came the repeated command, this time close to my ear, his breath warm on my neck. To be honest, if it weren't for the humiliation and anxiety of stripping in front of someone you couldn't see, the fact I could shed some clothing was a general relief. My whole body was radiating a heat I couldn't seem to cool. After stepping out of my shoes, my blouse was the first to go, with my skirt puddling at my feet shortly after. The air felt blessedly cool against my skin, but I had to bite the inside of my cheek as I shakily slid the straps of my bra down my shoulders and wrestled with the hooks in the back. My breasts are okay, average really, but it would have been nice to have some sort of feedback. Some sort of indication that they were satisfactory. He was in the room, somewhere, watching. I assumed so at least. I dropped my bra on top of my blouse, fighting against the strong desire to cover myself. I forced my arms down and reached for the top of my panties, feeling unsure and very, very naked. "Go on..." he said, his voice low, his body heat radiating against my back. He was standing behind me again. He seemed to move silently. I could feel the warmth retreat again as he stepped away. Under My Skin Ch. 02 Warm, soothing water surrounded him. His legs were bent comfortably at the knee as he sat inside a old style wooden tub. Dustin relaxed letting the water come up over his knees and exhaled comfortably. His arms rested along the round lip of the wooden sauna. His breath came out slow but even as he languished in the comfort of the moment. His eyes closed as he laid back. A soft plop in the water made him stir slightly but he disregarded it, slipping more into relaxation. Something wet, hot and very soft pressed against his shoulders and he felt it slide across his flesh. A soft low moan escaped his lips and his muscles melted from the sensation. "I need to keep you clean. Can't have my pup dirty." she said in a soft voice. Dustin's eyes shot open wide as he turned his head to see her behind him, washing him with a wet sponge. He froze, suddenly rigid with fear. Her eyes burned with that deep, fiery red-orange glow. Her supple, tender lips were stained with crimson. She smiled devilishly, Her bright, white fangs showed. Blood dripped from he mouth all the way down her chin. Her body was of luscious caramel skin and curves. He felt sharp prickling stinging aches where her fingers touched. he looked at her hands and saw they were lithe, slender digits but ended in long sharp claws already stained in blood. Aksana let out deep husky laugh as she looked into his terrified eyes. "What's wrong my pet?" She asked sweetly. His eyes followed her hand as she dipped the sponge into the water. He tensed in shock and his voice caught in his throat as he realized what he was sitting in was a pool of fresh blood. Aksana slowly brought the sponge back to his flesh, guiding it up the exposed section of his chest towards his neck. Rivulets of blood ran down his skin as she squeezed the sponge. Her leathery wings brushed against the back of his shoulders, sending shivers down his neck to his toes. "W-why is this h-happening?" he stammered. His dream now a nightmare. Aksana tilted her head so that she was looking directly in his eyes. His skin tore open suddenly in fresh gashes along his chest and shoulders. Dustin howled in agony as his body spasm in pain. Aksana began drinking hungrily from his wounds oblivious to his torment. Blood flowed freely from fresh raw wounds and was slowly filling the tub. The blood was gaining a darker, ruddy color. "Because I want it to pet. You will learn to crave, to lust, to want to give me every drop of your blood," She answered softly between licks. Her tongue swirled over his bloody right shoulder before leaning her head up and continuing, "Your mind, body, and your soul will belong to me. Don't worry, you will learn to love what I do to you," she reassured him as an a hand reached down and caressed his manhood under the red water, " Just as I will enjoy tasting every part of you." She let out a cacophony of wicked, laughter that echoed all around him. Her head snapped down and her fangs pierced his flesh. His mouth opened wide to scream but no sound came out. Dustin awoke with a sudden jolt that sent fresh agony through his arms. The chains grew taut and reminded him he was still bound. Cold sweat covered his naked body as he gasped in a silent scream. His skin burned with phantom pain from his nightmare. It took him several moments to regain his breath and relax. Only when the pain dulled and his heart slowed, did he feel the heat from the still blazing fire behind him. "Sleep well?" Aksana asked in an amusement. Dustin jerked slightly again at the sound of her voice. He winced feeling another pull on his arms. Aksana came forth from the shadows wearing a long, midnight blue silk dress that came down to barely cover her bare feet. The sides were slit open along the length of her leg showing smooth, caramel thighs and hip. The dress covered up to the base of her neck and the tops of her shoulders. Her hands were clad in perfect fitting black elbow length leather gloves. Dustin let out a soft moan from the ache in his tired muscles. His legs were already cramping and going numb from being in the chair for so long and his feet were beginning to feel the same way. He kept his gaze down to the floor though did not answer her. She walked over to face him and leaned down to him so her face was mere inches from his. Her right hand reached up and mussed through his hair. A pout formed on her lips as she stepped closer regarding him with a concerned voice. "Aw, did you have bad dreams?" she asked Gently, she lifted three fingers under his chin and raised his head so he looked directly at her. The leather gloves tickled his skin and caught his attention but he did his best not to show reaction though he could't help feel arousal mixed with fear and helplessness inside. She giggled then smiled at his attempts to resist her. The fear was intoxicating as it oozed from his pores like a potent fragrance. She reveled in its exuberance as she stood close to him. Her chest rose as she inhaled and closed her eyes. Her body shuddered in ecstasy for a few moments then she opened her eyes and looked back to him. "I hope you remember what I told you last night my sweet," She reminded him in a soft, sultry tone, "I am here to give you a choice." Dustin trembled and his stomach became a cold tight knot. He winced expecting her fangs to come down plunging into him that instant. Instead Aksana laid a gentle hand on to his shoulder. He slowly opened his eyes and gave her a puzzled look. "You're..not gonna eat me first?" he asked, suspicious of her behavior. She smiled, shook her head then answered, "You have no need to fear. I have already gone out and fed. I will not need to feed from you ." Then with a thought she added, "Not tonight at least." He calmed down some but he still felt a lingering dread from the choice of her words and anxiety of what choice she would lay before him. He knew whatever it was, it would not entail letting him go. "What's the choice?" he asked. Her tongue flicked out over her lips then disappeared back into her mouth. Her smoldering eyes stared into his. "You can stay chained in that chair while I drain you night after night until you expire," she began, her face flushing with blissful thoughts before she suppressed them back down and continued, "Or..." She let the word hang in the air for a long moment teasing him with it then gave him the second option. "You pledge yourself to me and be mine. You would live here and serve my needs," She paused then continued again, "In return I would let you out of the chains and chair and you would be given free reign of my home, hospitality and other benefits." "What other benefits?" he asked curiously considering her words. She shook her head lightly, "We would discuss those only when you have chosen." He sighed. She was toying with him. Anger rose in him making him tense, This in turn tugged on the chains holding him there. pain overrode anger as his bonds refused him any slack. His head slumped down in defeat and his body relaxed, giving out from exhaustion. She shook her head, "Poor boy. You need not struggle needlessly." Gently, she cupped his face in her hands and lifted so that she could look at him. He gave a weary whimper as he looked to her. his eyes looked down trying to avoid eye contact with her smoldering orbs. She frowned seeing his reluctance to meet her eyes and gently let his face drop back down. Turning away, Aksana began walking back into the shadows. From over her shoulder she said," I Will go get you something to eat boy. I will return shortly." With that, she disappeared leaving him alone. Dustin sat in a long silence as he mentally digested the two choices she laid before him.They did not seem like choices at all. Either way he was at her mercy. Only difference was one ended some way in death. He concluded his only way to escape would be to play along and pledge himself to her now and try to find a way out when she slept. After all She had said she had left to feed earlier so there had to be some way out right? Aksana returned with a bowl full of steaming, hot vegetable stew before he could give it more thought. Pressing the spoon past his lips into his mouth. He felt too weak and too hungry to resist her feeding him. With loving care, she spoon fed him until she set the bowl down to the floor empty. Seeing a bit of stew caked on the corner of his mouth, she wiped a leather finger to collect it and gently pushed her finger into his mouth letting him suck the morsel from it. Dustin moaned around her finger, tasting a hint of potato on his tongue as he worked it over her digit. Aksana smiled seeing the apparent pleasure show on his face before removing her finger slowly. His cheeks flushed pink. His member twitched from the sensation that coursed through him. He blushed a deeper red, lowering his head quickly to hide his face and his feelings. He could hear her giggle then felt her soft , gloved fingers caressing his hair. A soft moan escaped his lips as his body quivered. His muscles tensed and this brought a sharp tug from his chains which brought him back to reality. "Please just let me go." he pleaded. His skin tingled from beads of sweat that now covered his body from the heat of the fire. Aksana shook her head slowly and leaned her head forward until her lips were a mere inch from his forehead. "I cannot. You taste and smell too good," she admitted in a hushed tone as she rested her hands on his shoulders, "I don't know why you do but I want to find out. Besides you have been given a choice." Dustin's heart and hopes sank and he once again had to consider her offer. He sighed feeling it was hopeless. His body ached all over and he was miserable chained down like this. "Would you please let me out of this chair?" He asked weakly hoping she would show mercy. "My arms hurt so much. Please?" His whimpers of pain were genuine and sincere. Raising a leather finger to her pursed lips, she considered his words for several moments. Wheels turned in her mind and it showed on her face that she too did not take his offer lightly. Her piercing eyes glared at him sending chills down his spine and rattled his insides, "I will allow you out of this chair ....But only until I awaken tomorrow," she added harshly "Do you understand?" she asked quickly. "Yes I understand." he said eager to be out of the chair and the way she was acting now terrified him. He shivered. Without so much as a word she glided behind him and began unfastening the locks on the cuffs that held him. Tension eased from his left arm then his right as chains clattered to the wood floor. Cold metal slid away from his wrists and he gratefully rubbed each in turn, flexing his arms and fingers to get the soreness from them. Forgetting about his numb legs, Dustin rose to his feet to stand but quickly lost his balance as the blood had not returned to his limbs. He began to fall forward but then he felt satin hands grasp under his arms and gently lower his naked body to the ground. Pressing his palms against the floor, he lifted his upper body up enough to look up to her. She was smiling calmly again. this unsettled him much more than the sudden harshness. She had turned that on and off like a switch. That thought frightened him and made him shudder once more. "I go now to rest. If you get hungry again there is food in the kitchen." She said softly. With that she turned from him and walked away into the shadows. He watched her feet as she went, her bare feet eerily not making any sound before she disappeared from sight and out of the room. Dustin lay there on his stomach for several breathes waiting for her to be out of sight and earshot before he slowly began to push himself back onto wobbly legs. Keeping his hands out in front of him to catch himself if he fell, he took slow stumbling step after step, eyes searching for a door or way out of the room. His left leg regained feeling first as he carefully made his way through the darker parts of the room. Dragging his still numb right foot as he stepped, his foot touched what he perceived as a wall and started to feel along it blindly with his hands for a door knob or latch of some kind. In the shadows he could see the outline of a large portrait higher up on the wall to his right. He could barely make it out in the darkness.The figure wore a red riding jacket and white pants which ran down shapely legs until they disappeared into a pair of knee high black leather equestrian style boots. His eyes lingered on the portrait trying to make out more of the person but then his thoughts returned to escape. His spirits rose as his hand grasped at the round knob of a door and turned it. The door opened ad with renewed hope, Dustin quickly pulled the door open and stepped out of the room. His legs had regained some feeling as he peered around the long hallway he now stood in. His eyes scanned the hall discovering many doors identical to the one he'd walked through along both sides of the hall. Though not as dark as the room he had been in, the hall was still dim. There were no lights lit anywhere along the walls though moon light streamed though a tall window at the far end of the hallway. "This place must be a huge mansion," He thought out loud, "but it feels like a prison. Who the hell locks all the doors?". Carefully and quietly, Dustin went door to door turning each knob to see if he could find a way out. But to his dismay, each door was locked and would not budge. He kept going down the hall determined not to give up. By the time he had reached the last set of doors before the window, he had grown frustrated and was beginning to lose hope. "Come on. Come on," he pleaded as he tried the knob of the first of the last two doors, "Please open." But to his despair it did not. Desperation grew into anger and he lashed out at the door, punching it hard with a closed fist. He had assumed it made of wood but it felt as hard as steel. The door made a thud noise but stood undamaged. His hand however was a different matter. Explosions went off in his head as pain shot through his hand and arm. His knuckles stung and fingers throbbed. He had to bite down on his lip to keep from cursing out loud as he cradled his hand in the other. After a long couple of moments the pain subsided and his thoughts cleared. Turning around , he stepped over to the door on the other side of the hall that was left. In the pale light that came through the glass window, he could see the door was actually made of dark wood and had Golden trim and ornate carvings in the middle. The knob itself was polished metal of some kind. In gold lettering the words " To Waste Room" were written upon the door. Waste room? That's odd, he thought. Slowly turning the knob the door opened. It was no room but a flight of stone steps that led down somewhere. Half a dozen steps were visible but after that there was nothing but inky, darkness the rest of the way down. Dustin hesitated a moment and considered where it might lead. It could lead to a way out, he thought. maybe. He hoped it did. But then what was the waste room for? In his mind he pictured a giant room full of trash that slowly compacted in on itself like the one from Star Wars. Dustin shuddered. He definitely wanted no part of that. On the other hand, this seemed to be his only option. He was not about to go try more locked doors in the opposite direction. Raising his head out of the chute , he stood there silently a moment and considered things. Despite her hospitality and somewhat gentle manner and the fact she had rescued him, Dustin was terrified of Aksana and the thought of her feeding on him again was something he desperately wanted to avoid. If he stayed there was no doubt he would be stuck here forever doing whatever twisted things his "rescuer" came up with. He shuddered at that thought , let out a breath and slowly took the first few steps down. He could feel the smooth, cool stone steps under his feet as he kept going. The air around him too was getting cooler as he descended. A breath of cool air tickled his naked flesh as he kept one hand on the wall as he went so as to have something to keep steady. After ten steps down, it too changed from smooth interior walls to moist, slabs of uneven stones piled together. His bare feet made a gentle, slapping noise upon the stone with each step. How far down does it go, he wondered? The steps seemed to keep going down deeper into the darkness. Save for the light at the top, he could hardly see anything. Suddenly the stairs curved around and changed direction. Keeping his hand on the wall and feeling with his feet he slowly made the turn and followed the steps until he could see dim yellow light coming out of a doorway. His hopes rose and he hurriedly stepped down the remaining to reach the bottom. Light! Finally! He thought. His heart began beat ecstatically as his legs moved as fast as they could toward the doorway. He had reached the last three steps when his right foot crossed behind his left in his haste and became entangled. His momentum took over and he tripped falling forward in a roll. Stone scraped and tore his skin as he barreled down the last steps and through the door way. Screams of pain filled the air as he continued to roll past the door. He stopped rolling as the floor abruptly ended and dropped off another at least thirty feet. Eyes wide, Dustin clawed and grabbed on to the edge of the floor as he now dangled precariously from the lip of a pit of some kind. His arms ached and screamed as he struggled to hold on. breath came through clenched teeth as he turned his head to look down.His heart thumping rapidly in his chest as fresh terror spread through him at the thought of landing on some stone floor with a splat filed his mind. "Oh come on! Who the hell keeps a pit under a house anymore?" he exclaimed at the ridiculousness of his predicament. His feet dangled back and forth over empty air. Groaning, he tried his best to pull himself up on the edge of where he hung but his tired, weary muscles only allowed him to rise up enough to peek up over the floor he now clung to. The stones under his hands began to crumble and break away from his weight. "That's not good" He muttered to himself. The stones pulled free and plummeted down along with him into the pit. He screamed, eyes clenched shut as he fell all the way down. That is until his body landed hard on a bunch of something. He smelled a foul, acrid stench all around him Slowly he opened his eyes and looked around for the source of the awful smell. His eyes widened further as he realized what he landed on. His mouth opened to scream but a lump formed in his throat. Bodies. Dead bodies. He was laying on a pile of dead people! Instinctively he curled up into a ball trying to get away form them but they were everywhere! his eyes scanned up and around the pit he was in. torches lined the walls every few feet above him. He could see the walkway also that he'd fallen from. His eyes lowered, frantically looking for a way out. His eyes met the gaze of a balding man's head that stared at him from atop a lifeless female torso. Legs, arms, heads and several whole bodies lay under him. Bile threatened to crawl up his throat at the stench alone. His skin crawled with revulsion as his body touched the discolored corpses. He could see several tears in various places among some of them. Those that had necks were punctured in several places by little neat holes. Dustin shuddered and tried to keep from throwing up. His eyes shifting rapidly around looking for an escape. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a metal rung on the other side of the pit. His eyes followed the rung finding another and another and another. Under My Skin Ch. 02 A ladder! It was the most beautiful thing in the world to him at that moment. Unfortunately, in order to get to it, he would have to crawl across the pit of bodies over to the wall. Dustin gulped and tried to keep his lunch and his focus. Taking a few slow breaths, he began to crawl over the corpses a little at a time. "Gross! Fucking Gross! Why did it have to be corpses?" He wailed as he made his way towards the ladder. He gagged but forced his nausea away as his hand curled around the forth rung of the ladder and began a slow climb back up. Rung after rung, he climbed until he was out of the pit and away from the corpses. The ladder kept going up even after several feet. His ascent took him past the warm glow of torch light and back into darkness as Dustin's climb continued. He stopped after awhile and rested against the metal rungs. He felt tired and his body ached all over from both the fall and the climb. his lungs cried out for fresh air. Tilting his head up, he could see far above him bits of Grey light coming down through a grate of some kind. Taking a deep breath and bolstering his resolve, he began to climb again. When his hand rested on the last rung, he could go no further. He didn't't know how much time had passed but he was certain he had been climbing for hours. His feet hurt where the rungs had dug into the bottoms of his feet. His arms ached from pulling himself up every rung. He felt dizzy and tired from lack of food. His mouth and throat was dry with thirst. The grate loomed over him. It taunted him. He did not have anything left on his weary, sore body and it knew it. Still he could not just lay on the ladder. If he lingered, he might pass out and risk falling back down to most likely his death. "I don't want to die here," he whispered with a hoarse voice. He kept repeating that in his mind over and over until it became a loud, deafening voice in his head. Slowly, his hands reached up and curled his fingers through the holes in the metal grate. The metal screeched as it was pushed up out of its hole and pushed over onto the floor above. First a hand rested on the floor. Then an arm. Then Dustin's head peeked up through the hole followed by his other arm. Carefully balancing his feet on the rungs, he pushed up with his arms and what little chest that hung over the onto the floor. Slowly the rest of his body slid out of the hole until he lay naked upon the cold tile floor. He took in deep breaths of air as he lay on his back. The hum of mechanical motors filled his ears. He opened one eye and tilted his head to the side. There inches from his head was a pair of freezers. turning his head to look the other way, he saw an old fridge. He was in the kitchen, Dustin realized. Then exhaustion took him and he passed out on the floor. Under My Skin Ch. 02 Fuck it, I thought. It's nothing he hasn't already seen before, right? I slipped the flimsy garment down my legs and stepped out from the puddle of discarded clothes, wearing nothing but a blindfold and my wavering dignity. As I moved, I could feel a wetness between my legs that bordered on embarrassing. Standing there, naked in front of him, was the most arousing thing I'd ever felt. I stared out into my own personal world of blackness and waited. I sensed him move around me, and that lovely clean scent of him now came from somewhere in front of me. His hands grasped my arms at the elbows before sliding slowly down, pinning my hands together behind me. My back arched involuntarily and I bit back a moan as my nipples came into contact with his chest. His bare chest. God, his skin was so hot. I jumped back from him as if he'd scalded me, the ache between my legs switching up to a whining hum of wanting in an instant. Oh fuck...was he naked too? The suit trouser-clad knee that he wedged between mine was a quick answer to that. He pushed me, slowly backing me up until I felt the hard chill of a wall against my bottom. The grip on my wrists switched, and they were hauled upwards and pressed against the wall at shoulder height. My hips lifted towards his body of their own volition, but he pulled away. His voice in my ear was low but sharp as a knife. "Stay still." I froze, forgetting for a few seconds even to breathe. "Tell me...are you wet?" This time I could imagine the little snarl in his lip. I nodded, not trusting my voice. He only had to look down to see the shine of moisture on my thighs. So he wasn't going to play nice, was that it? "Did you think I was going to fuck you tonight?" The words stung like a slap, and in the same way gave me a strange thrill. I fought through the haze in my brain for an answer, wondering if he had planned to be this cruel. "Maybe...I don't know-" I stammered. "How many guys have you been with...fucked...?" This last word was swiftly punctuated by a sharp bite of his teeth on my over-sensitised nipple. I cried out, more from surprise than pain, though it did hurt, and continued to throb. Then I remembered the question. Oh god. Wasn't the test enough? Did he need an entire life history from me? I hesitated too long, and my other nipple felt the sting of his teeth and I squealed again. "I don't know...two...three maybe?" I whimpered. "You don't know?" He sounded incredulous. My mind raced back over my various relationships, mostly lousy or at very least, boring. "I don't really know what...counts," I muttered lamely. "Okay," he said, his voice taking on a patronising edge, "How many did you have full sexual intercourse with?" "Two." "And lover number three?" "We just did some things...it was in highschool..." I trailed off. "What, you gave him a blowjob?" The pressure on my wrists increased as he leaned in and spoke into my ear. "Maybe..." My wrists got a sharp nudge. "Yes...yes. Okay?" I felt teeth scrape along the side of my neck, and I held my breath, waiting for the bite. It didn't come. "And the other boys...what did you do with them?" I could hear the increasing roughness of his voice with every question. Did humiliating me turn him on? Was that his thing? Could I blame him when every word drove me even closer to the mad brink of a raging need I'd never known existed? The truth was I was fuelling this as surely as he was. "We just did...missionary mostly," I panted. The teeth scraped along the side of my left breast, and I had to hold back a whimper as it sent sparks straight to my centre. "Were they any good?" I could feel his breath on my chin. His face was right in front of mine. If I leaned forward, our lips would touch... "They were fucking awful," I gasped, desperately wishing he would just kiss me. No kiss came. It was the truth. About the other guys. They'd all been pretty bad. If you could hear someone smile...I swore I did just then. He released one of my wrists and brought my hand to his chest, pressing it there before letting it go. For a moment I didn't dare move, but he didn't do anything. His skin was blazing with heat. I could hardly believe I was actually touching him. I shifted my fingers against his skin experimentally. It was smooth and soft, with just a light flecking of straight, silky hairs. I fanned my fingers out across his chest, revelling in the feel of his muscles moving and bunching under his skin. I must have moaned softly out loud, because his chest soon shook with one of his arrogant chuckles. Despite my noises of protest, my hand was plucked away from its explorations and pinned back against the wall. He wasn't done, but I'd had my first reward. "Did any of them make you come?" The low rumble of his voice vibrated through me as he gently took my nipple between his teeth and tugged. Oh...fuck. I thought I might come right there, with that one touch. I hadn't actually thought it was possible, but this wasn't like anything I'd ever felt before, so who knows. He bit harder. I hadn't answered. "No...no." "So you faked it," he said triumphantly, moving to the other nipple and biting down hard. It was like he was setting off fireworks that went down instead of up, straight to the aching wetness between my legs. "Yes..." I panted. His breath was on my neck again. When he spoke, his voice was low and deadly serious. "I don't tolerate lying." Fucking hell, as if I would have to fake anything with him? He could practically breathe on me and I was ready to orgasm. Just the thought brought the twitch of a smile to my face. In an instant my arms were hauled up over my head, stretched almost painfully. "What, you think that's funny?" he said in what could only be classed as a snarl. "No! No...that's not why...I would never lie to you." "You did once...why should I trust you?" I didn't have an answer to that. Silence. All I could hear was his agitated breathing. He was really serious about this. "Promise me. Total honesty." "Yes..." "Say it!" "I promise...I will never lie to you." I waited, holding my breath for the next barrage. Instead, the grip loosened on my wrists and he let them drop to my sides, tingling with numbness. When he spoke again, it was close to my ear, and I could feel his arms near me, braced on the wall, brushing against my shoulders. "When did you last come?" I scrabbled through the haze in my brain for the answer. "Two nights ago..." He seemed to ponder this. "What did you think about?" That funny breathing thing started again, where there was only a little air to breathe, right at the top of my lungs. He'd have to have the truth, then. "You." "Me what?" I could barely whisper it. "You...fucking me." He exhaled with a soft grunt, and I was suddenly flattened into the wall by his hips angled firmly against mine. I could only whimper as the hard ridge of his erection pressing insistently along my stomach. Through the increasing waves of need, I felt some ridiculous surge of pleasure in the knowledge that he was just as aroused as I was, and I smiled. "Oh, you like that, huh?" he growled, and ground his hips against me again, the fabric of his trousers causing delicious friction against my bare skin. "Yes..." I wasn't allowed to lie, was I. That part of my brain...the part the deals with normal levels of inhibition and privacy...it was steadily taking a leave of absence. "And does it compare? To your previous lovers?" There it was. That infuriating arrogance in his voice. Was he seriously asking me to compare the size of his dick to that of my exes'? Though I had to admit...what I felt so far pressed against my hip was far superior to anything I'd previously experienced. I could play dumb and ask for a better feel, but I'd promised. No lying. "Yes..." "Yes what?" I felt his teeth nip lightly at the soft part of my earlobe before nuzzling lower on my neck, the sharp bite of his teeth an ever-present threat. "Yes, you are...larger, if that's what you mean," I panted, thanking whatever deities had imparted him with the gift. I sure as hell wasn't about to complain. Was that a grunt of satisfaction? I felt him push away from the wall, leaving the front of my body cold in his absence. But I soon felt warm breath on my breast. My left nipple was between his teeth again, biting lightly, teasingly, but this time his tongue darted out and licked. He wasn't holding me up anymore, and when my knees buckled he practically had to catch me. When the lick turned to a fierce suckling he had to hold me, whimpering, up against the wall. His mouth was so hot, so wet. His tongue deadly and knowing. And then the bastard just stopped and walked away. I gripped at the wall with my palms, trying not to slide bonelessly to the floor, desperately attempting to rein in the raging sensations he'd kicked off in my body. Fuck! This wasn't fair... "Stand up...straight!" he barked from feet away. His voice sounded rough and a little breathless. So he wasn't so immune after all. I mustered my dignity and pressed back against the wall, my chin high, my body throbbing. He wasn't walking so silently now. I could hear him pacing back in forth in front of me. He seemed agitated. His voice came from somewhere in front of me. "Why did you let me bite you...?" My mind was very muddled. I thought through his question methodically. Surely I knew the answer to it considering it was what I'd asked myself a million times before. "I don't know..." was the truthful answer. "That's it? You don't know? You could have reported me..." "I didn't want to." The real truth then, the truth he must already know or we wouldn't be in this situation...me naked and blindfolded in some location I knew nothing about other than it smelled of furniture polish. "I liked it..." I whispered. I heard sounds as if he was running his hands over his face. "I've let this go too far...I should take you home..." came the strangled mutter. Disappointment plummeted through me like a stone dropped into deep water. I clutched at something, anything. "Is that what you really want?" I flinched as the flat of his hand hit the wall next to my head with a slap. I could feel his breath on my cheek. "What the fuck do you know about what I want?" "I don't-" "That's right...you don't." I gathered what nerve I had left and tried again. "I want to...I want to know." A growl rumbled up not far from my ear. "You do, do you...you really want to know." I nodded, mute. The grip on my wrist was far from gentle, and I stumbled as he wrenched me away from the wall and dragged me behind him. My fumbling feet felt wood floor, tile, then carpet. My knees banged into the edge of a bed and with a shove I fell unceremoniously onto my stomach. "Sit up." Somewhere along the way his voice had gone hard, impenetrable. Was this a game anymore, or had I just pushed it over the line? I had a pretty good idea I was about to find out. I could hear a belt buckle and the unzipping of his fly, the rustle of clothes. I pushed myself up and pulled my knees towards me protectively. More rustling...was I fooling myself or did that sound like a condom wrapper? Oh god. Oh fuck... The bed next to me dipped and he caught my wrists up in his grip again, pinning me back on the bed. A hard, naked knee wedged itself between mine, forcing my legs open. "Now's the time to say no..." said a breathless, snarling near my ear. "Last chance." I stared up into the blackness and sparking lights behind my eyelids. Time seemed to slow. Each breath took forever. Decision time, Steph. Breathe in. Breathe out. "Don't stop..." I whispered. A growl as he gripped me under the arms and pushed me bodily further up the bed, following after me, his knees pushing between mine and the scathing heat of his erection brushing against my stomach. I must have whimpered because his hand clamped over my mouth. He braced himself, shifting lower, then pushed inside me with one hard thrust. I screamed against his hand. Never had I imagined pleasure could be so intense. I couldn't control anything and my body just arched against his wildly, frantically. Fuck. He was really inside me...fuckfuckfuck... He released my mouth long enough to capture my hands and press them back against the bed. I practically had to bite my lip to stay silent. My mind was too busy wrestling with the fact that I was being fucked by a man I hadn't even seen undressed. A man who hadn't even kissed me. I started taking gulping breaths, wondering if this was what a panic attack felt like. But he didn't move. He just stayed there, braced above me. Deep...deep inside me. His skin was blazing hot. I could feel him breathing, and I just tried to match my own breaths to the rhythm, desperate to calm myself. "Wrap your legs around me," his voice low in my ear. I did as I was told, for the first time conscious of the lean muscular hips and the taut stomach pressed against mine. The pressure of him inside me blocked out all logical thought. God, he felt good. And then he moved. It started slow, and I think he was trying to be controlled, but after the first few thrusts it went totally out the window and something wild and vicious took him over. I wasn't about to complain, all my tumbling thoughts fell away into the darkness behind my blindfold until all that was left to me was sensation. It was like having molten lava inside me and on top of me. I'd never felt so stretched or so filled. Every time he pushed inside it was as if he touched some thing in me even I hadn't known was there and it took my breath away. It was violent and animal and swept me along on a tide so high and steep I was coming before I realised it was happening. It felt like everything in my body was spasming at once, like a flash of lightening knocking out all my senses. I must have cried out at the shock and power of it, but he didn't stop. Riding out the wave, I absorbed the impact of his fevered assault until he too slowed, and stopped. The only sounds were our heaving breaths. I could now finally appreciate the feel of his weight holding me down, inexorably joined as we were. The thought took some time to bubble up, but when it did it disturbed me. He hadn't come. I had only been with a few guys before, but it was usually pretty obvious...and he hadn't. There was something wrong with this picture. He pulled out carefully, then rolled off me, cursing under his breath. I felt bereft. After the immense heat of his body I was suddenly freezing cold. Had I done something wrong? Was I not supposed to have come without asking? But I hadn't known it upon me until it was... "I'm sorry..." I offered, my voice wavering. Fuck. I was not going to cry. Silence and the sounds of our breathing reigned for some time before he spoke. I didn't like the undercurrent in his voice. "Sorry for what?" "You didn't...I mean-" "Didn't come? That's right. Congratulations. Have a medal for your keen observations skills." I was used to the edge of cruelty in him, but this was starting to hit some other level. There was hurt mixed into the vindictive tone in his voice which I couldn't ignore. "Did I do something wrong?" "You? Who said this has anything to do with you? And what would you care? How do I know you're not just another game-playing little who-" That's when I slapped him. In the dark of my forced blindness my hand found some solid part of him and gave him a blow that left my hand stinging. Fuck no, I was not putting up with this. I knew he was just lashing out, but truth or no, lashing hurt. "I am playing no game, and I sure as hell am not a whore..." I spat at him, my voice quivering with rage. I felt him move, he was quick, and I was soon pinned under the heavy heat of his body, my arms stretched nearly painfully over my head, my legs pinned between his knees. "Don't you fucking dare raise your voice to me..." he growled. I could tell that he'd stopped himself. Stopped from calling me a few other choice names. I kept my mouth firmly shut. "What is it with you women...you always want, want, want. You love the chase and as long as you get what you want it's all fine. But what about what I want? When does that get considered?" I lay there, stunned at this barrage. At the bitterness in his voice. Hadn't this been what he wanted? I thought that was the whole point... He shifted his weight onto one knee and I could feel he was about to get up. I wrestled against him, helpless to stop him. "Jarod, don't." I pleaded. He froze at the sound of his name. I'd never used it before. "Wasn't this...what you wanted?" I whispered, staring into the dark behind my eyelids, wishing I could just see his eyes...just for a second. "What the fuck do you care?" in a low snarl. "I care..." "Why?" He gave a soft, harsh, half-laugh. Good question. Why did I care? Where in this whole mad game had I begun to care? Shit. "Do I have to have a reason? I just do, okay?" I knew my chin was thrust out in my stubborn look. "Prove it." "How?" "Get off the bed." In one movement he released me and rolled away. Freed from his weight I just lay, numb, for a few seconds before reaching out with my hand for the edge of the bed. As soon as I sat up I got a horrible heady rush and had to take a few deep breaths to still the dizziness. Putting my feet on the ground seemed to help me find a level, and I wobbled to a standing position. I waited for the next instruction, trying to ignore the lingering throbbing between my legs. "Walk to the wall." His voice sounded more composed, but there was still an edge to it that I wasn't about to fuck with. I took a few tentative steps forward, my arms outstretched, feeling around blindly in the unknown space around me. After several paces my fingers finally touched cool plaster and I leaned against the wall, silently grateful for its stability. "Stay there until I say otherwise," came the curt command. So that was it? He wanted to see how long I could stand, shivering against a wall like a shamed child on the naughty step? I pushed down all my natural inclinations to rebel, intent on seeing this thing through. Whatever it was I had to prove, I would prove. Time passed, but I had no idea how long he left me standing there. I could hear him move off the bed once he seemed satisfied that I wasn't about to go anywhere. I heard doors opening and closing and water running. The bathroom maybe. I fought against the thought that he was somehow washing me off of him. That he couldn't stand the traces of me on his skin. No, if he was so repulsed by me he wouldn't have spent all this time and energy playing games with me. That's what I told myself at least. I was starting to get cold, and my feet were growing numb from standing in the same place for so long. I had no idea if he'd done his stealthy thing and was back in the room, so I didn't dare move from my spot. I clenched my toes, attempting to get a little blood flow going. When he spoke from behind me, I nearly jumped out of my skin. "Turn around." I braced myself against the wall, heart pounding in my throat, and pivoted in slow steps, not trusting my feet or my balance. Once the wall was at my back I leaned into it again, my chin high. My hope that I'd get to move from my spot was soon dashed. "Show me your bruise." His voice seemed to be coming from the direction of the bed. Was he lying down again? I turned my leg to show more of my inner thigh, and the colourful crescent marring my otherwise pale skin. There was no separation this time, between him and me and the mark he'd left. No phone camera, no text message. Just him lying there, studying my exposed body and the evidence of his handiwork. If I said it wasn't turning me on, I would be lying. I didn't know it was possibly to get more wet than I already was. Under My Skin Ch. 02 "Do you know what I did with your little photos?" he asked, his voice mockingly conversational. Oh god. What came next? Was he going to tell me he'd posted them online for other pervs to wank to? Or for the guys at work to laugh at on pub night? Behind my blindfold I screwed my eyes up, trying to block the mental images that began to flash up at the thought. When I didn't answer, he continued. "I looked at them. Every day in fact. Looking at them...asking myself what the fuck I was thinking. What the fuck I was doing, dragging you into my fucked up world." I heard him moving around restlessly. "I bet you thought I was wanking off to them, didn't you?" He let out a cynical half-laugh tinged with something close to incredulity. "Nope...I just sat there, staring at them night after night, paralysed to do anything at all." I was attempting to absorb this confession when I felt the heat of his body near me, his breath on my cheek. I steeled myself, determined not to flinch, even when his thumb brushed roughly along my lower lip. "Remember this?" he growled in my ear. "You want to know what I want? You really want to know?" He pressed his thumb steadily against my lips until they parted and I was forced to take him into my mouth. "I want that cute little mouth of yours on my cock." Suffice it to say I was no longer feeling cold, and when I moaned softly he pulled his thumb out of my mouth and grabbed my arm, dragging me back towards the bed. He let go of me, and I lost track of where he was. My knees were bumping against the edge of the bed, so I felt out with my hands, finding his ankle in the bedclothes, searching for a clear place to kneel. I desperately longed to rip the blindfold off instead of feeling around in the dark like a fool, but I resisted the urge. My hands found his legs and I crawled tentatively towards him, his words still echoing in my mind. My hands felt their way up his legs and I tried not to be distracted by the feel of the muscles flexed taut beneath my fingers. The nerves hit my stomach as I reached his hips and the reality of the task I'd been given. I debated telling him I was no good at this. That I'd just disappoint him or I'd do something wrong or...or... His hand grabbed the back of my head and pulled me closer, fingers tangling in my hair, stifling my internal debate. Against my cheek burned the heat of his full-on erection. His skin was hot and silky against mine. To my surprise, any trace of the foul spermicide from the condom seemed to be gone. Was that why he'd gone and washed himself? The conflicting gestures continued to confuse the hell out of me. Was this the source of the battle I always sensed going on in him, between the gentleman and the arrogant prick? "Go on..." he growled, ending my contemplation. I raised a tentative hand and grasped him, drawing in breath as I got to feel him properly for the first time. Fuck...he was huge. It pulsed in my hand like an animal, twitching slightly if I put my fingers anywhere sensitive. I'd never been a big fan of handling guy's dicks, but his was, well...beautiful. I tightened my grip, pleased to feel the muscles in his legs tense slightly as I increased the pressure. I sighed softly, beginning to relish my assignment for the first time. I'd never before had any desire at all to suck a man's cock, but something just bloomed in my chest as I touched him. Protectiveness? Some sort of strange, deep wanting to give (could I say it...call it that?) love...to that intimate part of him. Without any conscious decision, my mouth found the base of his erection and began to lick and suck, my tongue pressing against each ridge and vein, exploring and soothing in turn. His strangled groans only spurred me on as I made my way up to the tip, swirling my tongue as I devoured him with my lips. He was just so hard, but so soft and smooth, so responsive to my touch. Every other conscious thought slipped from my mind, and all that remained was my passionate need to bring him pleasure. There was no way I could take him entirely in my mouth, but I tried anyway, nearly gagging when I took him deeper. Whenever I did, he swore. A lot. My hands were hungry for the feel of him and wandered along his hips and over the tautness of his stomach, noting every response to my lips and tongue. After that it was like everything melded together...my mouth and his body to the exclusion of everything but the pinpoint focus of the sensations I was sharing with him. With every movement and breath I could feel his pleasure building, rising up in a sort of radiating excitement that was filling my whole body. As if I were feeling everything he felt and I had complete control of it as it built and built, winding tighter and tighter. I could feel his groans rumbling through his body, his hands tangling in my hair, urging me on. His hips flexed off the bed, arching into me, pushing his cock deeper into my mouth, thrusting more and more erratically. With no eyes to see I only had the sensation, the salty taste of him, the heady, musky scent of his sex. I knew he was close, I could feel him losing himself, his steely control faltering and finally dropping away. He was completely at my mercy, in my charge. I held the most essential core of his manhood firmly in my grasp and coaxed him, groaning and fighting to the edge of climax. I'll never forget the sounds that he made as I took him over the edge. Cries of relief, release. As he came in my mouth I drank deep, and deep again, taking it all, kissing and licking and soothing him as he came back down, slowly...slowly, my eyes inexplicably filled with tears. His hands on my shoulders, pulling urgently at my arms, guiding me up his body until I lay with my cheek pressed to his shoulder, his arms wrapped tight around my shaking body. How long we lay together, I don't know. The pounding rush of blood in my ears slowly quietened, the near-hypnotic state I'd been in gradually easing and bringing me back to conscious thought. I became aware of his fingers, gently stroking my hair. A strange tug, and cool air rushed over my eyelids. He'd taken off the blindfold. The thought went through me like a shock. I'd been without sight so long I didn't even know if I was able to open my eyes. I felt his breath on my face and then the gentle brush of his lips against each eye. Oh god...how good that felt. "It's okay...you can open your eyes," he said, with a softness I felt right through my body. I had to blink a few times, my vision blurred and confused, unused to even the low light in the room. As I opened my eyes fully I found myself staring up into the depths of his steely-grey gaze, and forgot how to breathe. He was a rather beautiful man...for being an arrogant prick. But as I studied him, my eyes scanning his face, I could sense a change. Antagonism had been replaced with...possessiveness. It was as if he was trying to devour me with his eyes. I could feel myself begin to blush at the sheer intensity of his scrutiny. His eyes dipped, and I realised he was staring at my mouth. I raised a quick hand to cover my lips, suddenly horrified at the thought that I was probably a mess. Just as quickly, he snagged my hand and pulled it away. "You're fine," he muttered softy, his eyes flicking briefly up to mine before focussing once more on my lips. "I want to kiss you." His words hit me like a blow to the stomach. All this, and we'd never kissed. Until his lips softly brushed against mine I hadn't understood. Until he pressed his mouth to mine and darted his wicked tongue into my mouth I hadn't known. Kissing him...him kissing me...was the most intimate thing I'd ever felt. It reached something in me that I didn't know could be reached by someone else. It was like an instant high, just one touch of his lips and the insatiable need filled me to have his mouth on mine and never, never...never stop. Mad, passionate, punishing and deep, the real addiction had arrived as we drank each other in, desperate for more and more. * * * * * Apparently you can kiss someone for several hours, and still not be bored of it. Considering we'd done pretty much everything else before we got to that point, perhaps it was because there was nothing else left to do. Well...not...nothing. It's hard to explain. It sort of comes and goes in waves of intensity. You think you're nearly done, then the devouring need comes back over you and you're all tangled up in it again, tongues twining, fingers in hair, toes curling. Particularly when the person you're kissing is Jarod, and he's somehow invented a repertoire of kisses you didn't even know existed. And instead of being his unique brand of arrogant bastard, he's kissing you with such devastating gentleness that you just want to weep. It had to be late by the time my brain surfaced enough to ask some basic questions. Like...where on earth were we? I reluctantly dragged my lips away from his so I could look around. He lay there, watching me scan the room. "Where-?" "My room." "Yours?" So it wasn't a hotel! He'd brought me to his place? That was sort of shockingly...personal of him. I took another minute to look around, though with the lights low it was hard to see very much. It was sparsely, though comfortably, furnished. He seemed to like natural textures in muted greys and browns. I searched, fruitlessly, for signs of anything more personal. He wasn't the sort of man who gave away much, but I already knew that. At some point I'd gotten cold and he'd pulled the bedclothes over us. I rubbed my hand over the crisp fabric. The sheets were expensive (big surprise), smooth and soft, smelling faintly of laundry soap. I caught myself wondering if he did his own laundry or if someone else did it for him. And if he'd just happened to have pristinely laundered sheets, or if he'd prepared that far ahead for tonight. Had he fully expected me to fall into his bed that easily? I wasn't sure whether to feel offended that he thought I was such an easy touch (I was) or complimented at his thoughtfulness. I still got the occasional hot flush when it occurred to me that we were totally and utterly naked. I mean...this was Jarod. My personal office tormentor. Naked. I was still getting used to actually being able to look at him after spending so much time blind. It was okay when we were kissing...I found I closed my eyes most of the time. I wasn't sure I could really handle locking eyes with him after everything that had gone on between us, and I had to fight against a nearly overwhelming shyness. Whatever it was that had happened between us seemed to have relaxed him considerably. That being said, I couldn't ignore the feeling that the wild animal still paced, restless behind those eyes. Watching him now, I still sensed a reserve, a wariness...a withholding of himself. My insecurities flared up, and I stupidly opened my mouth. "Do you bring all your blindfolded girls in here?" The question popped out before I'd really had a chance to run it past my brain's censorship committee. Damn. Something flickered in his eyes. Not disappointment, surely. He pushed himself up to a sitting position and swung his legs over the side of the bed, leaving me to stare at a rather breath-taking display of broad, muscular shoulders tapering to slim hips. The sort of hips you like to wrap your legs around and-... "Get up." There it was. The 'this is not a negotiation' edge in his voice. Shit. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-" "I said get up!" he snapped. I scrambled to my feet, the floor cool under my bare feet, and stood watching helplessly as he pulled on his trousers in a few quick, jerky movements. Buttoning them, he stalked from the room, leaving me to stare after him. Okay, so what I'd said wasn't particularly tasteful, but I'd sort of been joking...surely he could have picked up on that? He appeared at the doorway, stepping only far enough into the room to toss my clothes on the bed. "Jarod, I-" "Get dressed." He said through gritted teeth, and disappeared into the hall. Fuck. FUCK. I ran my hands through my mussed-up hair, wracking my brain for anything I could do to put things right. Hadn't we just been lying there a minute ago, close as any lovers would be? Did that make this a lovers' quarrel? I really didn't care to find out... I emerged from his bedroom, dressed, still trying to smooth my hair. It felt very strange to walk through a hallway I hadn't seen on my way in, only to spot my shoes where I'd left them when I stripped naked for him, barely a metre from his front door. I turned and took in the floor-to-ceiling windows of the living room, and the glimmering lights in the darkness beyond. So I'd stripped within full view of the entire city? Wonderful. I hope I got a lot of hits on YouTube. I heard the bang of a cupboard door being slammed in the general vicinity of the small galley kitchen and then running water. I eyed the front door. My handbag was right on the floor where I left it, next to my shoes. I had enough money on me for a cab...or maybe I could figure out the bus route once I got outside. I had no idea where I was, but I could figure it out. I just needed to clear my head. Get some air. Decision made, I stepped into my shoes, shouldered my bag and grabbed for the front door handle, pushing out into the hallway and walking as fast as I could in the direction of the lifts. Game or no game, kiss or no kiss, I wasn't about to stay anywhere I wasn't wanted. I pushed at the lift button impatiently, begging it to hurry up. Any second now he'd realise I was gone and...what? He'd probably be relieved. I punched at the button again with my finger. The building seemed new...why did the lift have to take so damned long? I fumbled in my bag for my sunglasses with shaking hands. So what if I'd look like an idiot wearing them in the dark of night? I didn't want anyone to see the stinging tears I'd been fighting ever since he tossed me my clothes as if I was some...some...floozy he'd paid for her services. I blinked furiously, my chin lifting stubbornly. I was a big girl, and I could live with making big girl mistakes. Maybe it was his bare feet that let him move silently, but I didn't hear his approach until the last second, and by that time my arm was twisted sharply behind me and I was turned with some force to face him. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" his voice full of what I could only say was rage. I flinched back from him, turning away from whatever blazed in those steely eyes of his. It created a heat in me I couldn't bear, and I jerked back from it as if from an open flame. I nearly stumbled as he pushed me backwards until I knocked into the marble pillar between the sets of lifts, his fingers digging painfully into the flesh of my upper arms. "Did I ask you to leave? Did I?" he hissed, looming over me, his face level with mine. I set my teeth and stared back at him through my sunglasses, defiant. What right did he have to say if I stayed or if I went? My chin lifted a notch. Which was a mistake. My sunglasses were ripped off my face and tossed away in a single movement, and I was helpless to resist the force of his accusatory gaze. Some detached part of me watched, as if from a distance, as he pressed me again to the cold hard surface at my back. A soft ding sounded next to my ear, followed by the metallic scraping of the elevator doors opening. I could only hold my breath, imagining the faces of the lift's occupants, eyes wide as saucers at the sight of a crazed, half-naked man pinning me to the wall. I blinked, and the doors slid closed again with a soft thud. I had to follow my arm as it was dragged in an iron grip at a ridiculous pace back down the corridor towards his flat. I could hear him cursing and muttering under his breath the whole way. He thrust me ahead of him through the door and slammed it closed behind us. I just stood there. I could hear him behind me, braced against the front door, his breath coming in sharp gasps. I closed my eyes. I needed the unreality. I needed for this not to be happening. He didn't hit me. He didn't touch me. He didn't do anything at all, which was probably worse. He just walked past me into the living room. I heard the creak of leather as he sank into one of the chairs, then silence. We must have stayed that way for at least ten minutes, our breathing the only other sound in the room. I kept my eyes firmly closed, arguing my way through everything. Justifying everything. Defending everything. It all added up to...nothing. I'd made the wrong choice. Running away never led to anything good. "I-" my voice choked in my throat. I cleared it and tried again. "I'm sorry...I shouldn't have left..." The silence expanded around me and I strained to hear any reaction from him. When it came, it was an explosion. "You're sorry? You're fucking sorry? So that makes it all right then?" I could hear him pacing the floor in the living room, agitated, his voice shaking with anger. What else could I say? "I'm sorry Jarod..." When he spoke again he was much nearer, his voice a slow snarl. "And where did you think you'd go? Just go out in the dark and walk home?" "I was going to get a cab," I muttered lamely. "You don't even know where you are," he retorted. "There aren't any cabs for miles, or buses for that matter." "Well, I didn't know that," I said, defensive. "And you certainly didn't ask!" Was that hurt I heard in his voice? Was I imagining things? "I told you...I'm sorry, okay?" More pacing. I kept my eyes clenched shut, my defences steadily crumbling. "Why? Why did you leave?" My mind raced back over the last seconds before I'd made my escape. Why had I? "You told me to get dressed, and you seemed angry...I thought you wanted me to leave," I said miserably. I waited in silence as he weighed my answer. It wasn't the right one. His hand suddenly at my throat, shoving me into the wall, holding me there, pressing me back, his breath warm on my ear, his voice deadly and close. "You promised...not...to lie." "I'm not, I swear!" "Liar!" I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly full of tears at the truth he forced me to face. And I had promised. "I felt...I don't know...rejected. I said something stupid and you were so angry with me and I just wanted to escape, okay? I thought you didn't...didn't want me." The tears were now threatening to spill down my cheeks. "Did I say I was angry at you? Did I?" he growled, shaking me. "No...no..." I sobbed. "Open your eyes..." he said, voice low. When I didn't, he shook me again. "Now!" I opened my eyes straight into his fierce silver ones. The naked emotion I saw there stopped my breath. I could only stare, drinking in what I saw there. It was then that I knew that we weren't playing a game anymore. Maybe it never had been a game. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded rough, hoarse, his eyes sliding away from mine. "I don't have...girls...up here. Blindfolded or otherwise. Okay?" His eyes returned to mine with burning force. "I haven't been with anyone...for...years." Stunned, I could only watch as he continued to speak. He pushed away from the wall, leaving me standing there, shaking. He began to pace again, running his fingers through his hair distractedly. "It's my fault...I guess I can't blame you. This whole thing started out wrong, right from that first day in the office. I started us out all wrong. But what did you want me to do?" He turned to face me, beseeching. "You just sat there...at your computer every damned day, your big eyes following me every time I walked down the office. And smelled...like flowers. And your mouth..." he stepped closer, reaching out his fingers to my lips, but dropped his hand to his side without touching me. Under My Skin Ch. 02 "I just wanted to kiss you...and I wanted to talk to you, and find out about you. Well, you know the rest. The rest is a fucking mess." His shoulders slumped as he walked away from me, his hands gripped, white-knuckled, behind his neck. As he talked, the heat flooded, stronger and hotter, up through my whole body. Oh god...I'd had it so wrong. How could I have been so wrong? "Why do you think I made you wear the damned blindfold?" he groaned. I didn't have an answer, and could only close my eyes, remembering how it felt. When I opened them again his arms were braced either side of me on the wall, his lips millimetres from mine. His eyes flicked up to mine and held them, steadily. "I've wanted to fuck you ever since I first saw you," he admitted, his voice a low rumble in his chest. "But I sure as hell didn't want to care." He smoothed my eyebrow with his thumb. "You and your big brown eyes...were a considerable danger to me. I actually thought if I didn't look into those eyes, I could keep some distance, you know." That sardonic half-laugh again. "You managed it anyway. Blind as a new-born kitten and you managed to crawl your way in and make me fucking care." With every few words he brushed his lips against mine, excruciatingly gentle, devastatingly soft. Every nerve in my body was finely tuned to the slow assault on my lips. Every fibre of my being focussing on the imminent danger he posed to my heart with each word. Was he for real? Was he for fucking real? And with every word the wanting...the needing built in me until I was breathless, radiating with the heat of his words and the dangerous desire to fall and fall into the world he spun with every touch of his lips. My hands found their way up his bare chest, smoothing over his hot skin and up around his neck, plunging my fingers into his hair, desperate for the kisses to never, ever stop. I felt, rather than heard the groan that rumbled up from his chest as he trapped me more firmly against the wall, his arousal most definitely matching mine as I felt it grinding into my hip. His kiss changed in an instant, his lips suddenly devouring mine, his tongue taking my mouth by storm, as if trying desperately to know every thought, every secret. I clung to him, my hips arching up to his, the need like a fever taking me over. I moaned when his hand slid up my thigh, searching under my skirt, pushing it up to my hips, then, finding its prize, dragging my panties down my legs in urgent, jerky movements. Oh god...fuck. Yes...please... His mouth didn't leave mine for a second, punishing me with his lips as he frantically raked his fingers at the button on his trousers, freeing himself. Oh fucking lord. Already pinned to the wall by his body, I was dragged upwards, my toes barely touching the floor, my legs guided around his hips as he pushed into me with one violent thrust. I'm not a religious person, but if sensations like that exist in the world, I am now more than certain there must be a God. Could anything feel so deep...so wild and satisfying? He just held me there, unmoving, before slowly starting to push into me with ever-increasing force. So this...this was what it felt like to be truly fucked...was my last conscious thought. His mouth never left mine, his tongue invading my mouth just as his cock drove into me. I could only whimper and accept him in, absorbing the force of his assault, drawing him into myself. When he slowed, groaning, I protested wildly. But he stopped, just held me against the wall and buried his face in my neck. I thought I felt his teeth scrape against my skin, but no bite came. When he let me slide down the hard planes of his body I could have cried. Why were we stopping? A wailing 'No' filled my mind as he created space between our bodies. Had I failed to please him again? "I'm sorry...sorry..." he panted, his face still resting against my neck. "I couldn't stop-" Yes you did stop, my mind screamed, my body in full protest at the removal of some of the most earthshattering pleasure I'd ever known. I arched towards him, whimpering, desperate. "I know, I know, pet...but we need to use protection..." Oh fucking HELL. Now was not the time to be a gentleman! But relief and his concern touched me, and I found myself smiling like a giddy teenager. "What do you mean?" I asked, teasing, breathless. "You don't want our lovechild?" I watched, fascinated, as something inexplicable flickered through the expression in his eyes. No...no, I wouldn't examine that too closely, I warned myself, as a startling thought hit me low in the stomach. I didn't have much time for thinking as I was frog-marched towards the bedroom, his fingers on my buttons and zippers and hooks, steadily stripping me naked before tossing me unceremoniously on the bed. I just lay back, watching through lowered eyelids as he shed his trousers and carefully unrolled a condom along the length of his erection. I had no idea contraception could be so damned hot. As he approached the bed, a flutter of nerves assaulted me at the sheer intensity of his expression. He loomed over me, trapping me with his arms and legs, just looking down at me, his gaze trailing over my naked breasts and down to the dark hair down below. I was already soaked through from before, but this sparked a whole new flood of wetness between my legs. God, he was beautiful. When he lowered his head, I lifted my lips for his kiss, but his mouth found my breast instead, sucking my nipple deep into his mouth until I nearly wailed with the sensation of it. Just when I thought he would let up, his teeth scraped against the hard nub and he bit down, hard. My whole body came up off the bed. He let go, only to trail kisses, his lips, his tongue, all the way over to do the same with my other breast until I was whining and panting. If he hadn't been holding my arms down I would have been pummelling him with my fists for inflicting such sweet torture. Abandoning my breasts, he left a trail of nibbling kisses up my neck, teasing me with his teeth, nipping lightly at the place where he first bit me. That seemed so very long ago now...an eternity. Could that really have been how this all started? He must have been thinking along similar lines. "I've never bitten anyone else, you know," he growled into my ear. "I just needed to taste you...feel you. To know you'd be thinking about me every day." He pulled back and looked down at me. "You did think about me every day, didn't you?" I groaned, arching up against him in frustration, wanting him touching me, wanting him back inside me. And he wanted to have a conversation? "What?" he asked, his tone infuriating, playful. "Are you wanting something...?" "Yes!" "What's that then?" "You know exactly what!" I struggled against him, completely helpless. "This?" he asked, nibbling on my neck threateningly. "No!" "Tell me..." "Please Jarod..." "Please what?" Bloody arrogant bastard. I'd have to say it or he would never relent. "Please...fuck me." I whispered, desperate. He pressed his cock against my stomach, hot and hard and lovely. "You want this, hm?" he taunted. I nodded, cursing him, confounded again by the way he could be such an arrogant asshole, but turn around and say things so sweet you just wanted to cry. He wasn't joking though, when he kissed me, his tongue making short work of my defences, whipping my need back into a frenzy. When he broke it off and I whimpered in protest, he took my chin firmly in his hand. "No complaints, just do as I say." I nodded, drawn into the wicked gleam in his eye. He sat back on his haunches, releasing me, and grabbed the pillows from the head of the bed. "Turn over," he grunted, grabbing me and flipping me onto my stomach before I could even protest. "Up on your knees," he said, giving me the pillows to put under my upper body. Was this what I thought it was...? My legs trembled at the thought of him on top of me, pressing me down. Every frustrated sex dream I'd ever had pricked up their ears at the thought. He moved behind me on the bed, his knees roughly pushing mine further apart, my back arching as I struggled not to collapse under the pressure of his hands on my shoulders. I could feel the heat of him between my legs, his erection brushing against me, tantalising, excruciatingly close. I buried my face in the pillows with a moan. His hands found and grasped my wrists, twisting my arms behind me until I squealed with the burning pain of it, all my weight on my trembling knees and the pillows that propped me up. He rocked me back towards him, the tension bowing my back, his grip on my wrists tightening. Exposed and restrained, I was completely and utterly at his mercy. I'd never been so aroused in my entire life. All his earlier urgency when he'd pinned me to the hallway wall seemed to have disappeared, his movements leisurely, infuriatingly slow. He never let go of my wrists, shifting his grip between his hands as he took advantage of my helpless position, running his hand over my breasts, smoothing along the arched curve of my spine. With every touch I felt his growing possessiveness of my body. It gave me a strange thrill, one I was in no state to give much thought. When he began to stroke his erection along the wetness between my legs, I definitely stopped thinking all together. He made me wait and wait, when all I wanted was him inside me. He knew exactly what he was doing, the bastard, my hips arching towards him, begging him to just do something other than torment me. But he just kept rubbing against me until he began bumping against my clit, slippery and hot, sending shocks through my whole body. Tightening his grip on my wrists he smoothed his hand around to my stomach, bracing himself before pushing against me with the tip of his erection, slowly, slowly penetrating me before pulling out again. I wailed. I cried, I writhed against him, but he just did it again, pushing into me with excruciating slowness and insistent pressure, just as slowly dragging back out again. When I had finally stopped fighting and was just sobbing with need into the pillow, he took my wrists in both hands and plunged in, one stroke, deep and hard. I screamed into the pillow and thought for a moment I'd actually pass out, the sensation of it so overwhelming. The rest was a blur. The repeated pleasure of him filling me, his body pounding against mine with such force I thought I would break. Just when I thought I could handle no more, he shifted my wrists into one hand and slid his free hand around my hip, slipping his fingers deep into the wet folds at my centre. All could do was whimper into the pillow as he swirled his fingers over my clit again and again until everything turned into white heat and I was coming, spasming around his thrusting shaft, mindless with pleasure. Not so mindless that I didn't hear the sounds he made as he pushed deep, deep inside me, pulling me back against him with a vice-like grip, releasing my hands to grasp at my hips, covering my body with his, trembling against me. I felt the sharp pain on my shoulder, the heat of his breath on my skin as his teeth sunk into my skin. The world took some time to stop spinning. Closed eyes worked best it seemed. After collapsing on top of me, he'd rolled away, dragging me with him, draping me across his chest. I lay, listening to the gradual slowing of his racing heartbeat. It was a hypnotic sound, and some fuzzy part of my mind thought that I dared not move in case it would stop if I wasn't there to listen to it. He shifted under me slightly, freeing his arm, his fingers finding their way into my hair. He tugged, pulling my face closer to his, and I reluctantly left my vigil, leaving my fingers to feel the steady rhythm. His eyes searched for mine, heavy-lidded and dark. I reached up a finger to trace the curve of his bottom lip. I suspected, but I had to know. "Jarod...can I ask..." for some inexplicable reason I found myself blushing furiously. "Did you...you know..." After all this I was still a prude? I tried to pull myself together but he came to my rescue. "You mean...did I come?" he said, his voice rumbling in his chest, vibrating against my body deliciously. I nodded, struggling to look him in the eye. Was he chuckling? Bastard! I slapped at his chest weakly, but it only made him laugh harder. He placed a soft kiss on my forehead and relented. "How could I not when your sweet little cunt was squeezing me half to death?" he asked, earning another slap from me. But I was smiling. And so was he. "Huh...you look like a cat with cream," he muttered, raising an eyebrow. I traced a slow finger over the hairs on his chest and nodded. He hooked a finger under my chin until I was forced to look him in the eye. "For all your bratishness, I think you do like to please me," he said, contemplatively. Curled up against his chest I wasn't about to deny it. * * * * * Under My Skin Ch. 03 Dustin awoke with a start on the cold kitchen floor. The freezers hummed around him as he blinked several times and slowly regained his senses. His heart was racing in his chest and it took several moments to calm down. He groaned feeling stiff all over from being on the hard floor. With another groan he tried to move his arms and legs to get up off the floor. His knees popped as they bent under him and pushed him up to stand. His first step was so wobbly he lost his balance and fell to the side barely catching himself on one of the nearby freezers. His back felt so stiff and his chest ached from laying down so long.The scratches and cuts all over his body stung and his he still felt exhausted. His skin felt cold and clammy and showed patches of bruised skin where the skin had been scraped off. Using the freezer as support, he began to move again slowly step by step until he could walk without fear of falling. The kitchen around him was dark. Darker than it had been when he had pulled himself through the floor. What time was it he wondered? How long had he been out? His pace grew more steady right as he reached the entryway to the kitchen. Peering out into a long hall, his eyes scanning the darkness for signs of Aksana. He was not sure where she slept or if she was still asleep but he was did not want to take the chance of her sneaking up on him. Dustin made his way down to the other end of the hall, passing many more doors presumably locked as well as more shadowy paintings and portraits on the walls as he went. Each step was silent as possible. His breathing was careful and measured. Though he did not know why he was being so cautious. You can't possibly sneak up on a vampire dummy, he mentally chided himself. He peeked out around the doorway slowly, mostly because his neck still ached whenever he tried to turn it, and looked into the next room. His eyes widened at what he saw. The room was a large dining hall. In the center of the room was a long table draped in frayed cloth. There were ten oak chairs on each side of the table. Unlit candles and dusty, old flower pieces adorned the middle of the table. Windows a foot apart let the night in through their open panes along one wall. "Damn night already." he cursed under his breath. It wouldn't be long before Aksana was up and about. His heartbeat quickened as a glimmer of hope blossomed in his chest at the sight of the windows.Windows meant outside. Outside meant there was a way out! Quickly Dustin grabbed the nearest chair and hoisted it upside down by the back end and prepared to swing. The chair felt heavier than it looked. His arms ached in protest as he carried it slowly towards the closest window. Putting all the energy he had in his weary, hurting body he swung the chair like a baseball bat at the window. Glowing, Orange-red eyes met his in mid swing as Aksana came out of the darkness standing just outside the window. Her eyes peered deep into his and he started to hear her voice in his head. His arms felt so tired and the strength left them, stealing the chairs momentum. His fingers lost their grip on the chair and it left his hands to crack against the wall at the base of the window. One of its legs snapped off and rolled on the floor. Dustin stared in Aksana's eyes falling ever deeper. His legs buckled, too weak and weary to stand as he listened to her sweet voice echoing in his mind. His aching, heavy body crumpled to the floor and curled up in a ball by the window. His eyes locked on hers as he listened to the words that sweetly repeated in his ears. Aksana watched him sink down and crumble to the floor. Her blood stained lips curled in a smile as she held the boy's mind enthralled in her hypnotic gaze. She cooed and sang soft lullabies to his mind coaxing him to lay down and to sleep. She shivered with excitement and arousal as she felt his helplessness through the window. Her crimson lips mouthed the words good boy as she held his gaze. Dustin whimpered as he lay there weak and powerless on the floor. He saw her lips move as his eyes grew heavier and heavier. His eyes became slits then finally closed as dark slumber claimed him. Soft, gentle touches roused him him from his imposed slumber. His eyes flickered open slowly feeling the gentlest, touch upon his cheek. He felt himself laying down against something soft and warm and as he came to realized he was floating. No, not floating, he suddenly realized as his feet came into view. He was being carried. He was suddenly aware that there were arms holding him. Aksana smiled down with dark eyes, pleased to see him awake. "Ah You're up my pet. That's good." She said as she carried him in her arms. One arm was tucked under his legs while the other held on to his shoulder. Her fingers caressed his cheek as she moved further down a dark hall with him. Her caramel breasts rubbed against his side as she held him close. He noticed her lips were stained with blood and that she like him was naked. "How did I-?" He started to speak. "Shh Don't talk pet." "But..I.." "Hush pet and don't think of escaping my arms," She warned in a motherly tone, "Don't make me remember that you tried to escape." Aksana turned a corner and went down another long hall before coming to an open door. The soft light of many candles spilled out into the hall. Dustin had to squint since his eyes had become accustomed to so much darkness. She carried him in, seemingly unaffected by the sudden light. Aksana went in and carried him toward a large, ornately carved wooden sauna. Candles of all sizes littered the floor and the edge of the sauna itself bathing the room in light. The scent of vanilla was strong in the air. Dustin's eyes widened recalling the sauna from a dream he had before. His body trembled in fear at the recollection. Aksana smiled showing a hint of fang as she stepped up the wooden step and over the lip of the tub with him. She felt him shaking against her caramel flesh and it thrilled her. A soft moan escaped her lips as she lowered herself and him into the milky, white water. Dustin let out a whimper as she stepped into the water, expecting it to be like his nightmare. His body trembled even as the hot water flowed over his skin as he was lowered in. She let go of his legs as she sat him in front of her a little between her legs. Her left hand gently stroked his bare back. "Why are you so afraid?" she asked coyly, for she already knew the answer. "I thought..I thought.." he stammered. His skin tingled from her touch. "You thought I was going to feed on you right here, didn't you?" she prompted. "Yes" he replied simply. "No...least not yet,"she teased. A smile formed on her lips seeing him shiver with that. She leaned her head on his shoulder, ear pressed to his neck. His pulse thumped quickly in her ear, exciting her more. He sat deathly still, afraid she would strike him if she moved. His nerves were on edge and his muscles tense. Her arms wrapped around his waist tightly and hugged him. Leaning in closer, she whispered into his ear. "I am not pleased to find you trying to escape after I offer you a choice." she hissed in his ear. Her came out harsh, sharp, and deadly. Her arms slid effortlessly from his waist as she moved around to face him. "I just wanted to go home-" he started to protest. "Hush." Aksana cut him off sharply. Dustin went silent, his eyes lowered.. "Good boy. You are learning," Aksana praised. "With enough time and training you will be an excellent pet." Dustin's eyes went wide with fear and his stomach turned into a cold knot. He could not keep himself from shaking or blurting out. The words left his mouth before he had time to think of the consequences. "But I'm Not you're pet!" "Yes you will be,"Aksana corrected. "Or you will die. That is the only choice. You forfeited the bargain when I found you smelling of death." Aksana moved before Dustin had time to register she had, hand wrapping tightly around his throat and squeezing. Her face came right up to his bare neck, her fang's exposed, poised to bite. He trembled,body stiff with fear as he began to choke. His heart thumped in his chest as he felt her lips move against his skin. "Do you wish to die?" Aksana asked, hand slowly closing tighter. "N-no," he choked. "Nor do I want you to," she admitted. He let out a strangled whimper as he hand continued applying pressure. Aksana held on for a long, torturous moment then let go. She rose gracefully to her feet and turned away from him, grabbing a nearby sponge and soap. She dropped them down into the water before him then stepped out of the sauna. "You will wash and be clean when I return shortly," she instructed. Her face was soft and gentle again but her eyes still held that fire. Without hesitation, Dustin picked up the sponge and soap and began washing himself. "If you leave this room," she added, "Your life will be forfeit." Dustin continued washing, not daring to stop for fear that if he did she would rip his throat out then and there. Confident her point had been made, Aksana left the room without a sound. The door was left wide open as both bait and invitation for him defy her. Dustin scrubbed his body clean as he could, too preoccupied with not angering the vampire further to notice the door at all. When Aksana had returned a short while later, carrying a folded vanilla scented towel in one hand, she found Dustin still in the sauna. His attention came upon her fully the second she entered the room. He was shaking, more from fear of what she would do than the cold. She smiled wickedly, showing fang. Dustin recoiled, hands raised in a defensive posture instinctively at the sight of her sharp fangs. Calmly she walked over and opened the towel wide and held it out to him. Dustin sat petrified. "Up. Come out and dry off," she calmly instructed. Dustin did as he was told, getting to his feet, and stepping out of tub onto the cold stone floor. His nipples hardened and the hairs on his body rose as cooler air touched his skin. Aksana gently wrapped the towel around his back and shoulders then stepped back to give him room. His eyes watched her as she came in closer and relaxed when she stepped away. Aksana sighed quietly and frowned. She did want him to respect and obey her but she did not want him as a frightened animal. There would have to be steps taken to repair the damage she realized. Slow, careful steps. Her frown disappeared into a warm smile as she left her thoughts. She noticed in that time, the boy had almost finished drying off. She stepped closer to him, wiped the blood from her lips, and wrapped an arm around the back of his shoulders. Dustin stiffened immediately and flinched at her sudden movement. When he had realized she had only embraced him, he relaxed some but still kept his guard up. Her soft skin and lovely figure also made his cock twitch and tingle but he was still in too much shock to act on it. "What are you going to do with me?" he asked tentatively. "Come with me," the vampire implored him. He went along with Aksana out of the room and down the long, dark hall. He shivered still more than a bit uncomfortable with the situation, but realistically he had no choice. Well he did just death wasn't a preferable one. She smiled, arm still draped around the back of his neck. Her fingers caressing his naked shoulder every couple of steps that sent shivers up and down his spine. "You need to relax pet," Aksana gently urged him." I can feel your fear of me." "Sorry." he replied meekly. He was barely able to keep his fear hidden too deeply with her so close. She turned her head and smiled wide, fangs showing as she leaned in and met his gaze.Her eyes shimmered and grew a bright orange- red in he darkness. His lips moved in protest but no sound came forth as a finger pressed against them. "Shh now, no need to speak," Aksana whispered soothingly to him, "Just walk with me and relax. Look into my eyes and let your thoughts fade away." Dustin couldn't help but stare as her gaze ensnared him. His mind screamed at him to look away, to turn away from her, to resist her somehow but he could not. That thought would drown along with the rest of his will into the molten pools of her eyes. He was distantly aware of himself moving along with her, her arm gently resting on his shoulders, her lips moving as they moved. All else became a blur as he sank deeper into her eyes and under her power. Aksana led him down deeper into the very depths of her home. Past several closed doors and down a long atone spiral stair they went. All the while deepening his trance as she kept her eyes locked on his. She saw his shoulders and head slump onto her shoulder and felt his mind give way as she swallowed him up in her hypnotic orbs. Her heart raced as she saw into his thoughts and hopes. Even his wants and desires were laid bare for her to see. Her thighs began to drip with wetness as she reveled in the sheer power she had over him. She could see that he was submissive and had deep, hidden desires to be controlled. Oh how she could mold and control him to her darkest whim! That thought alone made her heart beat rapidly. She was beginning to pant hard as they reached the doors to her inner sanctum where she slept. Aksana pushed her thought and desire down and exercised some control. Pushing the doors open, she whispered into his mind for him to enter and she watched as she let him go in first. Her eyes ate up the vision of his naked body moving in front of her. His skinny body teased her senses as she bade him to walk to the black, silk covered bed in the middle of the room and lay down upon it. Licking her lips hungrily, Aksana followed him in, stalking his movements gracefully, like a panther hunting prey. She did not follow him completely to the bed, not yet. She softly instructed him to lay there quietly while she prepared. She watched him a moment, making sure he had obeyed, which he had completely then turned her gaze from him as she disappeared to a side room. After a few long moments, Aksana came out into the bedroom once again, this time dressed, and slowly climbed onto the bed and straddled his mindless body. She leaned down over him, pressed to him tightly and breathed down the side of his neck. The goosebumps growing over his flesh made her body quiver with arousal. Her tongue glided up then down his flesh savoring the sweet taste of warm skin. Aksana moved her face mere inches from his, her tongue flicking over his lips as she stared into his glazed eyes. She pressed her now emerald colored lips to his then softly whispered, "It's alright Dustin my sweet. You will enjoy this. Don't resist and you will have everything you desire. Wake now and feel me." Aksana gently but firmly placed her hands onto his wrists and held his arms down to the bed. Still atop him just mere inches from her pussy sliding down over his manhood, she watched him come out of the trance. He blinked and was suddenly very aware of her weight on him. She smiled like a Cheshire cat as she gently, suggestively, rubbed her body against him. Dustin moaned as he felt her body slide against his flesh and felt latex rub over him causing him to tremble and grow stiff. His eyes widened as she pressed up close again and made his body quiver. He couldn't believe his eyes, She was clad shoulders to toes in a tight, emerald green latex catsuit. Aksana smiled wickedly down at his growing erection then looked back up to his eyes. Dustin felt his mind start to swim again as their eyes met. "Please...stop." he begged weakly. Her glowing, fiery orbs stole his will with each passing second. Her eyes closed for a moment, giving him a reprieve but also showing her matching eyelids. She pressed her latex covered breasts to his chest and kissed his lips. His cries were muffled by her lips as he squirmed futilely. His arms stayed pinned by her superior vampire strength no matter how much he willed them to move. Aksana finally broke the kiss and opened her eyes once more. He gasped for breath and averted his eyes as best he could to not fall into her spell again. But the vampire had other means of control. Slowly, she lowered her waiting, wanting sex down onto his erect member, moaning in pleasure as his length went deeper within her until she'd taken him in all the way down. The rubber squeaked as she rocked her hips and began to ride him, her breasts sliding up and down his chest as she moved. "Don't fight it pet. I know it's what you want," She hissed in his ear as she continued to ride his cock, "I know how much you love latex." "H...How do you know what I want?" he groaned. Dustin winced, trying his best to resist her. His body yielded to the latex and her temptation, rocking back into her hips slowly. "Poor boy. I have seen into your mind. I know you've wanted someone to take you, to comfort you, to love you. To give you all you need." she replied," You have been so lonely, so needy. Just submit and be mine." "NO!You'll kill me and I will be like those bodies in your basement!" He refused her. It took all his will and concentration to keep his eyes shut to block out her powers. His body however could not stop reacting to her. Dustin moaned louder, feeling himself grow warmer and more aroused by the second. The soothing, soft, smooth latex was making him weaker and want her and it more.Panting, he doubled his efforts to resist and block out the pleasure. "Not if you just relax and let me take you. I want to help you Dustin," Aksana coaxed softly, "Can't you see that?" Her body rose up then slammed down on his cock in one quick movement, forcing his shaft to strike her clit. Using her wet, slick, warm walls to grasp and milk his cock, Aksana let out a low moan and watched his body writhe under her. "I don't wish you any harm. I am lonely just like you." she pleaded. Dustin's eyes shot open wide as her pussy's wet lips slid down his length. He shuddered with blissful ecstasy. His lips moved to speak but instead all he could do was cry out. His body quivered as his hips continued to roll with hers, unable to stop. The latex of her gloves and suit teased and tormented him. Oh how he deeply wanted to give in but he knew he could not! "N..no.. Please..S.s.stopppp.." he stammered. He was unable to stop shaking as she continued to fuck him relentlessly. His heart pounded in his ears. He could feel himself aching and throbbing inside her. He wanted to surrender but it was a trap. Wasn't it? It was so hard to think. She made it feel so good. The latex felt so good but he had to resist! Aksana caught his gaze once more as his eyes went wide. She did not pull him deeper instead she read his thoughts. Seeing his fears and his feelings, she slowed down to a barely there roll of her hips to try and calm him. Her eyes turned from orange fire to their dark natural color. She rolled onto her back with him and wrapped her rubber arms around him, holding him tight while she vampire strength push his body up with her hips and take him into her from the bottom. Gloved hands caressed up and down his back. "I could break your mind very easily Dustin," she said calmly, "But I want you to trust me. I want your companionship. I want you to feel cared for as well as care for me." Dustin whimpered as he listened to her words. The reality of them stinging him profoundly even as her soft, velvet sex made his balls fill and ache. Even as her latex soothed him as he was held, he knew he was trapped. He could not move. His body shivered in fear as he laid his head upon her smooth, shiny, emerald breast. The scent of the rubber filled his senses and calmed him a bit but he still resisted the urge to give in. Under My Skin Ch. 03 "I will keep you fed, give you a place to sleep, pleasure you, even protect you from the others," Aksana went on, " All I ask is your obedience, your companionship, and your blood when I require it." Aksana could feel his breath through the suit as he lay on her chest. Her hips bucked gently up into him, wanting to let him enjoy it and see how good she could be to him. Her fingers stroked the back of his neck and she heard him whimper.he was relaxed but still resisting. "I am sorry You had to see my darker side and that I had to be rough with you and cannot let you go now," She confessed, her voice soft and calm, " And I hope you can forgive me for what I am about to do but I will make this as enjoyable for you as I can." Dustin started to speak, to protest, to do something but before he could, her gloved hands cupped his face tightly and forced his eyes to meet hers. His mouth opened and started to say something but Aksana sat up slightly and gently pressed her right latex covered nipple into his mouth. His head tilted as she guided him to her breast, leaving her with the perfect opening to sink her fangs in. Dustin's eyes widened as he let out a muffled cry of pain around a mouthful of rubber and breast. Her eyes met and pulled him in as they turned their mesmerizing orange color. Her pelvis moved up and down, effortlessly sliding herself along his throbbing manhood. His body relaxed as she continued to take him deeper into her gaze and into her wanting, wet core. Her moans echoed off he walls of the room as she continued to milk him. Her eyes promising him deep, blissful sleep as her mouth opened and sharp fangs sunk into flesh. A soft whimper managed to escape his lips before he succumbed to her powers and the pleasure. His cock soon followed with his mind and surrendered to the unending bliss that filled his body. Dustin writhed and shook, sucking gently on her nipple as he came and began to mindlessly fill her with his warm cum. Aksana held him to her tenderly as his body gave out and succumbed to sleep. She smiled inwardly as she fed on his sweet, delicious blood. Her eyes closed as she lay there with him in her arms, cradling him close. Tomorrow, she would help him understand, but for now he would do just fine. Thank you to Cheri Frazier for her help with story and editing. Under My Skin Ch. 04 Megeara knocked on the door to Dustin's apartment. Silence hung in the hallway as she stood on the second floor. "Hello? Dustin are you home?" She knocked again but no one answered. She was really worried. Carefully she looked around the hall, making sure it was empty before reaching down and getting his apartment key from the secret place he put it in. They had been friends for years, and he trusted her enough to tell her where the key was in case of an emergency and she needed someplace to go. Quietly she unlocked his doer then quickly replaced the key in his hidden spot. The room smelt stale though the furniture looked clean. The was a small black couch big enough to seat two in the middle of the room as well as a TV. There were a few pictures on the walls of various animals that had been put their for decoration. The living room lead into a small kitchen and a bedroom. The kitchen was clean and everything was in its place. It seemed like it had not been used in sometime. She opened the fridge and found it only contained a half opened can of Coca cola and a few slices of cheese. Shutting the door, she turned and walked out of the kitchen to the rest of the apartment. Her boots made a muffled sound as she walked into the bedroom for any sort of sign or clue as to where Dustin could be. Her eyes scanned the bedroom as she stood in the doorway. The bed was made, the dark blue comforter neatly covered it and the pillows. The dresser on the far wall was closed though a bit dusty. There was no sign of a fight or trouble anywhere. Megeara frowned as she began to feel hopeless. It was really beginning to worry her. It wasn't like Dustin to not tell her where he was or what he was doing for more than a day and she had not heard anything from him in almost three. Something was wrong, very wrong. She didn't know what was going on but she was determined to find out and get her friend back. Brushing one of her long silver braids out of her eyes, she went back into the kitchen and started searching through the drawers for a pen and paper to write her friend a note just in case he returned. Halfway through the third drawer, she found what she was looking for; and started writing. Dustin If you come home please call me. you have my number I am worried about you. Love Meg Megeara thought about adding more but decided she was satisfied. She went over to the fridge and secured it to the front of the freezer door with a magnet. Since there was nothing else she could do here she turned and walked back to the door. She pulled the hood of her hooded seat shirt over her head ,covering her long silver locks then opened the door, making sure it was locked, and went out. She stuffed her pale hands into the pockets of her hooded sweat shirt as she walked down the long hall and carefully went down the steps to the ground level of the apartments. Her boots barely made a sound as she walks over the thick carpet. Cold fall air greeted her as she opened the the heavy door leading outside. She really hoped Dustin comes home and sees the note. Megeara genuinely cared for him. She thought he was cute although very shy. She had liked his sense of humor and how she felt safe and could tell him anything. She wasn't used to having to ask the guy out but she didn't mind. He was kind and fun to be around. She could tell he liked her very much by how she caught him looking at her or the way he smiled when she was around or how his face brightened whenever they got to talking about something. Granted he got quiet whenever she tried to talk about relationships and things but she just figured he was nervous and shy. So she had planned three weeks ago to ask him out to a Halloween party. Of course that was before he had suddenly disappeared, It was only a week until Halloween now. Megeara deeply frowned. Where could he be? What could have kept him away so long? At first she had done something but there was nothing really that she could have done to make him act this way. It was not like Dustin at all. They were best of friends and he had never once just vanished before. Something was keeping him from her she just knew it. Her thoughts kept running over the facts that she knew as she walked down the block and found her car parked where she left it. The keys jingled as she took them from her pocket and unlocked the driver side door of her black Miata. Her small body slid in comfortably into the black leather seat as she closed the door, stuck the key in the ignition and listened to the engine purr to life. The car was one of her few prized possessions she had purchased it when her great uncle passed a year ago and left her a very nice sum of money. She had bought a nice house, big enough for herself and one other person and saved the rest. The house and car both helped make things easier since her new job behind a mall kiosk selling cell phones did not pay very much. She turned on the radio so she could listen in on the news as she drove. Her thoughts returned to Dustin as she turned the corner and headed downtown to the police station. Since he had been missing more than a week, there had to be a missing persons report by now she thought. If there wasn't, Megeara would make one. The voice on the radio was advertising half off on Halloween costumes at the local store as her car went across the familiar steel suspension bridge and entered entered the downtown area. She had picked out a Halloween costume already for the party. She had wanted it to be awesome for Dustin since she knew he liked things that were a bit different. Besides she needed something to catch the eyes of everyone else and to keep people from staring at her pale skin and silver hair she had had since she was thirteen. Her lower lip quivered and she bit into it nervously at the reminder. That was another reason she liked Dustin. He never made fun of her. The costume she picked out was a cyber goth girl outfit complete with gas mask and goggles as well as the outfit. She had even made an appointment to have her long silver hair dyed and made into multicolored dreadlocks just to complete the look. All that planning and purchasing seemed pointless now since he was missing. The car stopped as a light up ahead turned red at an intersection. The radio host came back on right as the light turned green. She turned left and cruised down to the nearby police station. It took her a bit longer than she would've liked to find a parking space but she managed to find one behind the precinct. Megeara turned the car off and opened the door to get out. The evening gloom was just now taking over the sky as she stood up. A sharp, cold wind blew past her and chilled her hands to the bone. Leaning back into the car, she got her black leather gloves out of the glove compartment and slid them on before closing the car door and heading towards the station. A officer dressed in dark blue uniform nodded to her as she walked past him towards a pair of automatic sliding doors. "Evening Ma'am " greeted the officer as he headed in the opposite direction. Megeara just nodded and gave him a warm smile that she had often given Dustin when he was with her. She caught a hint of blush on the man's face as she walked past and went through the doors and into the building. Her black stiletto heel boots echoed loudly on the white floor as she made her way in and up a flight of stairs to the front desk. Officers were bustling about in all directions. The phones at the front desk were ringing repeatedly nonstop. The tall dark skinned officer at the desk did his best to answer each one as fast as he could as she waited. So caught up in what he was doing, she didn't think he had even noticed her approach. Finally after many moments and rings of the three phones, the man looked in her direction and acknowledged her. "Evening Ma'am. How may I help you?" the officer greeted politely. "Yes I'd like to make a missing persons report Officer-??" she answered while looking for his name tag. "Officer Shepard Ma'am" the tall man answered quickly. Megeara nodded "Ah Officer Shepard. I have a friend who I would like to report missing." "Very well. Come with me Ma'am" the officer said. He turned away from the desk and lead her down a corridor and to the right where he stopped at a wooden door with a golden name plate on it. The name plate read: Detective Derrick Blake. Megeara glanced at the door then back at Shepard somewhat confused, "You don't handle any cases?"she asked. "No Ma'am I just work the desk. Go on in. Blake'll help you Ma'am" Shepard answered. He turned and went back the way he had gone towards the sounds of the ringing phones. She watched him go then turned back to the door and slowly lifted her hand to the wood and gently knocked. "Come in " a gruff voice answered. Pushing the door open slowly, she walked into the office of Detective Blake. Well more like the closet of Detective Blake. The room was a little bigger than an office cubicle and full with mountains of papers and assorted folders. The deck was the only piece of actual furniture and it was only three feet from touching either wall. The man behind the desk looked much too big for the desk much less the room itself. He had linebacker shoulders and arms to match. His face was handsome at least it could have been except for the ragged growth of facial air that had invaded around his mouth and the lower part of his face. He stared at her with sharp, steel blue eyes that still had intensity to them even though the man looked in his mid forties. His hair was a sloppy light brown comb over that was slowly graying toward the back of his head. " I'm Detective Blake, " the man the man with the gruff voice introduced himself, "What can I can do for you?" It took a moment for her to remember what she was doing before she could answer the question. the way his voice boomed at her and his eyes stared through her made her feel very small and insignificant. "Um..Yes I was directed here by the front desk.,"she began slowly, " I need to file a missing person report on a close friend of mine." "You and everyone of these over the last three weeks " he replied Blake leaned back and opened his arms wide to indicate the numerous mountains of papers on and around his desk. She blinked as her mind gave up trying to figure out how the big man had room to lean back at all in the small room. The detective took a clipboard with a pair of papers from the top of one of the stacks that was on his left and handed it to her along with a pen. "Fill this out with all their information" Blake instructed her. Megeara scanned over the papers she had been handed then carefully filled out the information in their proper fields. She wanted to ask the detective for a place to sit but judging at how his office was, she doubted he even had space let alone a second chair for her. So she toughed it out and stood while she worked on the forms. She could feel Blake's eyes watching her as she did. It felt like he was trying to bore into her very being with his eyes, trying to get some sort of information that was hidden. She supposed that was his ability as a detective but it was really unnerving to the point she wanted to just scream at him to stop looking at her like that but she suppressed it and instead focused on finding Dustin. She really hoped this guy could help. Once down she politely handed him back the clipboard and pen then waited to hear what he could do for her. She watched his massive hand hold the clipboard in front of his face. With hands like that he should have been a boxer or a wrestler she thought. She could hear hmms and mhmms come form the detective as he scrutinized the information. Blake set the clipboard down on his desk in front of him then folded his fingers together in a steeple then spoke. "Miss...Ah what did you say your name was?" "Megeara" she answered. "Miss Megeara," he repeated. "When was the last time you saw your friend Dustin?" "About three days ago. We were at my work at the mall. We are really close friends. We talk everyday." "But after that day did you hear or see your friend?" "No I haven't. I have tried to contact him several times but he did not answer." She said, biting her lip some. "I even went to his apartment but he's not there either." "I see that," Blake said. "You say that it's been three days since then?" "Yes three days today." she recalled solemnly."Can you help me Mr Blake?" Blake sighed then shook his head. "If only I could. There's been so many missing persons though in the last three weeks our department is overrun." Her eyes sank low as she heard his response. Her face darkened. "Is there nothing you can do?" "I am afraid not at this moment. Your case will have to wait in line until we get all these others out of the way." Blake answered with a tone of finality. Megeara felt so disappointed.Here she was trying to get her friend back and the person who could help her told her she had to wait in line! She shuddered to think what could be happening to Dustin if he were in trouble. Her fists clenched into fists as anger grew inside her from that thought. She blinked when she realized Detective Blake was speaking to her. She let out a breath and let her hands relax. "Is there nothing you can do? Nothing at all?" she pleaded the detective. Desperation and sadness found its way into her voice. Blake paused and seemed to consider things for a moment. His eyes seemed o focus on a point on his desk as he sat in silent thought. His mouth creased and his lips twitched suddenly as if he was struggling with some internal debate. After another moment he exhaled and looked back to her. "Miss, what I am going to tell you is off the record and not to be repeated, understand?" She simply nodded. "Good. You did not hear this from me," he said seriously. "But I have found a few things odd with all these disappearances." "Like what?" she inquired. "Like how none of these cases have come back as homicides," he answered, putting his hands behind his head. "There's been no sign of all these people for weeks and not one body." She considered the information then asked. "Has none of these missing people been found?" "That's just it. No one. Not one of these people have been seen or heard from since there disappearance," Blake answered, his face scrunching up in frustration and disbelief and his voice grew louder as he continued. "And what is even more baffling is that no one has seen any of the perpetrators or has any idea who is behind it or why." Blake ran his big hand through his hair a moment then let out a breath trying to calm himself. She watched him for a moment trying to think of what she could do. It all seemed very puzzling to her. If detectives who were trained to find people did not have a clue, what could she possibly do? She shook the thought of giving up out of her head. It would not help finding Dustin one bit. He needed her and she knew it. Her hands balled into fists again as she bolstered her resolve within her mind. "Detective I really want to help. I think my friend is in danger. What can I do?" she asked quietly. A resigned look passed over the detective's face as he searched for an answer. He straightened his shoulders and rested his hands on his desk in front of him. "Well only things I could say to do if you really want to help is to go around places you think that person would be and look for clues," Blake gave the only advice he could. "Ask around and see if anyone has seen your friend. Just make sure to be careful." She nodded "I will. Thank you Detective." "You are welcome," Blake replied. "Just do me a favor and don't end up as a report on my desk." She nodded again and smiled politely. "I won't." Derrick Blake nodded back as she turned to the door and left his office. Megeara felt more determined in her search when she left the detective's office than when she had began. Her stride was more purposeful and her thoughts more clear. She did not have any leads but she knew at least where to start. Her boots thudded softly on the hallway tiles as she made her way to the front of the station. Officer Shepard still at his desk, nodded a quick goodbye to her as she went down the steps towards the exit. A biting cold wind picked up right as she stepped through the automatic doors. Night had completely fallen over the city leaving the parking lot looking ominously dark and spooky. Even more so with it being so close to All Hallows Eve. Glancing left then right, she spotted her car and made her way as quickly to it as she could without looking too frightened. Except for a few empty squad cars the lot was deserted. Shadows gathered and pressed all around her as she pulled her keys from her pocket and got into her car. She put on her seat belt and slid the key into the ignition. She was about to turn the key when she two bright red eyes stared back at her from her rear view mirror. She froze instantly as the two red eyes narrowed. Her stomach turned to stone as fear crept through her. A raspy hissing sound filled her right ear but she was too afraid to move. The bright red eyes held her thee paralyzed and helpless. Flesh on her neck tingled and she could feel the ice cold touch of a hand wrapping around her throat. "Such sweet flesh." the voice rasped. Megeara felt her throat tighten as the cold hand around it squeezed. A terrified whimper left her lips . A gurgling sound that she guessed was laughter came from the shadows. She could not see anything but the red eyes in the mirror, but she could tell it was a male from how its hand was rough and calloused against her slender neck. A shiver ran up her spine as she heard the shadows draw in a ragged breath then another fit of gurgling laughter. She willed her body to move- to do anything but it refused. Her arms and legs felt like lead weight as she looked into the eyes of the the stranger that had her. "So sweet" it hissed again. Goosebumps crawled across her skin as the hand tightened more around her neck, cutting off her whimpers turning them into little wheezing sounds. Terror stabbed through her consciousness as she sat there helpless against her shadow assailant. Her heart raced in her chest as she struggled to breath. She felt sharp, jagged nails digging into her throat as icy fingers coiled ever tighter. A warm wet sensation pooled between her thighs and went slowly down her leg as she felt her attacker's hot breath on her skin. Her stomach lurched as the putrid, rotten smell reached her nose. Her throat muscles tensed even more as the urge to gag came over her. Her lungs burned for air as she was slowly choked by the dark passenger hidden in the shadows of the back seat. Her mind screamed at her to struggle but all she could do was gasp and stare at the red orbs in horror. Something sharp grazed the side of her neck. Megeara screamed. A sudden knock against the driver side window broke the hold on her body and she suddenly lunged forward, hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. She felt dizzy as she gasped for breath. Her lungs thankfully drank in the much needed air. A knock on her window came again making her jump and in her seat. With a shaking hand , she reached over and pressed the button to lower her window. "Ma'am are you alright?" Officer Shepard looked concerned at her and shined his flashlight into the car. "I...I am f..fine..." she said shakily. Her arms were visibly shaking as her hands clenched the steering wheel in a death grip and it took a conscious effort just to let go. It was then she realized that the hand on her throat was gone. Under My Skin Ch. 04 Her eyes went to the rear view mirror.It was empty. No red eyes. Nothing. It- who ever it was- was gone! Her breathing came in short, quick breaths. She had to squint as the light form the officer's torch reflected into her eyes. "You sure?" Shepard sounded unconvinced. "Yes I am sure." she kindly reassured him. "Detective Blake sent me out here to give you this," Shepard reached over, holding small business card with Blake's name and number on it. "He said if you have any questions give him a call." "Thank you very much Officer." she smiled gratefully and took the card from him. Shepard slowly pulled his arm from the car then nodded with a smile."Its quite dark out. You be sure to wear your seat belt and drive safe Ma'am." "I will. Thank you again." She returned the smile and turned the key, bringing the car engine to life. Shepard stepped back form the car then waved before turning and heading back towards the station. Only then did she roll up her window and turned on the small overhead light. Frantically, she turned her head to the side and looked at her neck in the rear view mirror. Her eyes widened as she saw a bruise and swelling around her neck where the hand had been. Her head whipped around to the backseat.There was nothing there. Empty just like she had left it. Where had her attacker gone? Her eyes scanned the back carefully then darted down to the floorboards. Nothing there either. It was as if her assailant had vanished into thin air. Her hand went to her throat. The marks proved she had been attacked just now. But how had they just up and disappeared? Megeara shuddered in her seat and was suddenly aware of the dampness between her legs. Her foot stomped on the gas pedal. Her tires squealed as she sped out of the police parking lot. She would look for Dustin soon but for now she just wanted to get home. Her thoughts returned to her friend and what had just happened. She cringed in thought as she drove. Should she have said something to the officer about the attack? No. She had no evidence except the bruises on her neck and she had no clue how the man or thing had left the car without her or the officer noticing. It was very unreal but She had not imagined it. Still she could not just admit to being attacked by something she could not even identify except by a raspy whisper and glowing eyes. The cops would think her crazy. Her home came into view before she knew it. She pulled into her small driveway and parked her car. She turned off the engine and got out quickly and hurried for her front door which she quickly opened and shut behind her. Megeara leaned back against the door and took a few deep, steadying breaths. Her heart was racing. Her body slid down to the floor as she willed herself to calm down. She was safe. She was home. No one was here but her. Megeara kept repeating those words as her heart slowed back to normal. Slowly, she got to her feet and walked through her living room and down the little hallway to her bedroom. She locked her bedroom door just for her piece of mind then walked over to her closet and began pulling off her clothes. Leaving her clothes in a puddle on her bedroom floor, Meageara made her way into the bathroom and turned the hot water on. She went back into her room and began getting clean underpants and pajamas while the tub filled. Her mind once again thought of Dustin and she found herself looking at the hung up costume in the closet. Did that thing that attacked her also attack her friend? Was that what was keeping him? She hoped not. Her legs trembled and buckled at the thought of that thing and what nasty things it might be doing to Dustin. She shook her head. No. That won't happen. I'll find him, she vowed as she laid out her clothes on the bed and went back into the bathroom. The water was hot and already causing the mirror to fog up with steam. She left the bathroom door open a crack before turning off the water and climbing in. Megeara let her knees bend as she slid all the way down into the bottom of the tub letting the water come up to her chin. She desperately needed to figure out a plan to help her friend and to figure out what was going on. The hot water began working on her muscles more than she realized and thoughts of plans soon evaporated . She let out a soft sigh and soon found her eyes closing as she rested her head on the back of the tub. Under My Skin Ch. 05 Aksana lay there on her side watching as her pet slept soundlessly beside her on the bed. She could sense the rising of the sun as morning came slowly. She would need to rest soon but for now she would take this time to watch over him. Her eyes fixated on the rise and fall of his bare chest. She let out a slow breath feeling a shiver run through her core and through her body. Every part of him visible to her sight even in the complete darkness of the room. Her eyes scanned over every inch of his nakedness, up from his feet and not stopping until her gaze settled on his neck. Her eyes focused on the two parallel holes on the side of his neck. She had fed from him several hours ago when midnight first approached but now the marks had begun healing.She licked her lips at the memory of the night past. How fresh and vivid it still was in her mind. Her pussy grew moist as the scene replayed in her mind as if it were just happening. She had bid him to remain naked that night and told him there would be a surprise for him if he would come look for her in her room in a few moments. He of course had done so and surprising to her, had come to her room quickly. She of course was already hidden in the shadows of her room waiting. His back was to her as he came into the dark room searching for her. She smiled as she listened to him call her name once then twice. She waited a moment more before she came up behind him silently and wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs up around his waist. Caught off guard, the boy struggled at first but a soft whisper from her calmed him immediately. With a soft whisper and the gentle rub of her foot against his manhood, Aksana bid her pet to carry her on his back through the halls that wound around to her room. She leaned in to his body as he began to carry her piggyback down the hall. Her breasts rubbed against his shoulder blades as he went. Each one of his steps caused her body to bob slightly up and down. Her foot kept rubbing and teasing his cock as they went in circles through the halls. She could feel his pulse quickening as they went around once then twice then a third time. She wrapped her arms and legs tighter around him so as to not slip off from the sweat that was covering his skin from exertion. Moans mixed in with heavy panting filled the dark empty hallways. Her feet alternated rubbing his hardening member every five steps. Her body quivered as she could feel his heartbeat as she held on. When he had turned a left corner and gone around a fourth time his movements slowed considerably. His breath came out in ragged gasps. Even though she was lighter than he was, Aksana could tell Dustin was getting tired. She kissed his ear with her soft lips and told him to head back to her room to receive his reward for doing so well. His feet slapped against the stone floor as Dustin went back down the hall to her room. She continued to stimulate him the whole way into her room by catching his stiff, erect length between her big toe and the second. and began sliding up and down his length slowly. She could feel his body twitch and quiver with each ministration of her toes down his cock. By the time he made it to the side of the bed his legs were threatening to give out from arousal. Aksana slid off his back and gently pushed him forward onto the bed. She heard Dustin groan softly as he fell forward on his hands and knees. She climbed up behind him spider like and wrapped her arms and legs around his body again. With one quick movement she rolled both their bodies into the middle of the bed with him laying on his back on top of her. She heard him whimper softly as she grabbed a handful of his hair tilted his head to the side and bit down on his neck. Dustin shuddered and cried out in pain which was soon silenced to a moan as her foot began rubbing along his erection once more. Her eyes bled over into orange-red as she began to feed. Soft moans escaped her mouth from between her lips and his flesh as she took in his blood. Red flooded down her throat quenching the fires of empty hunger that raged within her. She could feel herself regaining her full strength as she held her pet within her embrace. She only stopped when she felt the tell tell sign of his heart beat slowing and his body slumping weakly in her arms. Gently, she removed her fangs from his neck and licked the two fresh holes until the bleeding stopped. She turned him on his side and cradled his head to her breast. Her hand stroked through his hair lovingly and hushed him softly until his eyes closed in deep slumber. She held him there in her arms quietly for a while before carefully laying him onto his side and resting his head on a pillow. Hours passed and she just laid there watching him sleep. Aksana smiled to herself as she reached out to touch his face. He looked so precious asleep like that. His body exposed. Vulnerable. Hers to take however she wanted. Even though he had been asleep for a long while, she resisted the urge to wake him. She trembled as she was once again reminded of the previous night. Her hand gently caressed down his face. So gentle so as to not wake him. Her sweet pet deserved all the rest he could get. Her fingernails trailed down his cheek to his chin. Oh how she loved the feel of his warm flesh against her body. In her hands. Especially the taste of it each time she fed. She clenched her thighs feeling a hint of wetness between them. Her body began to tingle, telling her her that daytime was approaching. Even in the darkness of the windowless room, she could sense the time of day. She could feel that it was morning even if she could not actually see that it was. All vampires could. It was sort of their early warning to get underground before the sun came up. Fortunately, she was already inside and away from any harm of sunlight. She felt a sudden movement beside her that drew her attention out of her thoughts. She glanced over to her pet and saw his eyes start to flutter open. She smiled and gently ran a hand through his hair. "Morning pet," Aksana watched him as he came to. "Morning," Dustin replied confused, "How are you still awake? Don't you have to sleep sometime?" Aksana was about answer when she heard a whisper inside her mind. "I have found you." said a voice. Aksana trembled. She felt her body tense up as the words pieced her mind like jagged spikes of ice. A burning cold pain spread through her like wildfire. She felt a presence beyond the grave touch her mind and her consciousness shuddered in revulsion at the recognition. She felt suddenly very afraid. Her throat grew tight and she felt as if she was being drowned. "No.." she spoke in a hoarse whisper. Her voice trembled. She saw her breath come out as she spoke. " I am coming for you... I will have you again." the voice spoke again in her head. "NO!" she repeated. Aksana shook with both dread and anger. Her fangs showed fully in defiance ready to confront the influence assailing her then the presence she felt evaporated as suddenly as it appeared. Her body shuddered as she lay there hugging herself, her eyes wide with fear, She stayed like that several moments until she suddenly became aware someone was calling her name. "Aksana...Aksana? "Dustin looked to her concerned. "I'm..fine."she answered slowly as if unsure. She uncoiled her self and sat up on her side of the bed. Wearily, her hands rubbed at her temples as she tried to regain her senses. She sat there for several minutes but she could not shake the dread that had come over her. She was not sure how but she knew who it was that just tried to influence power over her. Someone she had not seen for over a hundred years. Dustin placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay?" "Yes pet" She patted his hand then rose to her feet. Dustin nodded but wasn't entirely sure she was being honest with him. What was that just then? Had he done something wrong? He had never seen her react like that. It was scary.He didn't know what to think of that. He wanted to ask more but was not sure if pressing her was a good idea. He might make her angry and angering a vampire was never a smart thing to do. His confusion and doubt must have been showing on his face because the next thing he realized she was standing next to him. He was about to say something when he felt her hands cup his face. Her eyes began to glow that familiar bright orange red and suddenly he couldn't think of anything but to look into her eyes. Nothing else mattered but her eyes. "Don;t worry about me, pet. Just sleep," she whispered. "Sleep. I'll take care of everything else." His eyes closed as his mind listened to her instructions. ********************************* Metal screeched and whined as it pulled itself through the gaping hole and out of the trunk where it had been hiding. It had been patiently waiting for its prey the previous night just as its master had told it to. Once it had been let inside the vehicle, it had waited in the back seat patiently. It's instructions were to abduct the owner of the vehicle in order to facilitate its master's will. It had waited, never moving until the door opened and a pale skinned woman sat in the seat in front of it. That's when it had struck. Wrapping it's decayed hand around the woman's throat, the ghoul had attempted to choke out its intended victim. The fear coming form the woman as it tightened its grip was so tantalizing and sweet. It felt her pulse weakening, her breath becoming slower as it squeezed tighter. The scent of urine reached its nostrils as fear overwhelmed its victims senses. So close! It would only be a matter of minutes before the girl would pass out and it could take its unconscious target from the car and deliver it to its master. It was salivating from the sheer anticipation of pleasing its maker and the reward that would follow. So close! Bit then someone interfered. It heard a knock at the window then a man's voice. It panicked not knowing what to do. It had been instructed not to kill only to capture. Its mind reeled trying to come up with an answer within its brain. Its hands searching for a way out from where it sat in the back. Its fingers found a small latch behind the seat. Desperate it pulled the latch and found the seat give and fall forward, revealing access to the very back of the car. It wasted no time and slid silently behind the seat, pulling the seat back behind it closed as to not arouse any suspicion. With its keen senses, It could hear the muffled sound of voices as the girl and the one who interrupted it spoke. For moments, it held its rancid breath and listened until there was only silence. Suddenly, it heard the rumble of an engine come to life and felt the car was moving. Having no alternative the ghoul waited inside the trunk as the vehicle moved along to its destination. Once the car had stopped finally, the ghoul frantically began clawing at the backseat passage it had crawled through. It was determined to succeed even if its initial attempt had failed. Its claws dug into the back of the seat. A wide grin spread along its one cracked remaining lip at the thought of reward. Perhaps the master would allow it to devour the girl after she had outlived her usefulness. It hoped so. Her flesh felt and smelled so sweet. But then it heard the driver's side door open. It stopped clawing and went deathly still. The door closing reached its ears but still it waited. Footsteps faded as its victim moved away from the vehicle. Only after several long moments of silence did it begin to claw at its confines, this time at the metal above it. Its claws were more suited to ripping and tearing flesh. Against the harder metal, its bony claws chipped and broke with each tiny furrow it dug. This not only infuriated the ghoul but caused it severe pain as well. Shrieks of pain accompanied the sound of shredded metal as it continued to dig a way out. In the time it took to puncture through and make a hole big enough to fit it's head through, it was well past midnight. It howled in pain as its putrid flesh tore against he jagged metal as it used its hands to widen the hole big enough to fit through. The darkness of the night was slowly becoming lighter as morning approached. Time was running out. It needed to get back to its master before sunrise.Its coagulated blood curdled at the sudden realization that returning now would mean it had failed. Failure meant punishment but even that dire consequence was much more preferable than being caught in the wretched sun. The sun's rays paralyzed it and slowly seared its flesh, incinerating all the way to its very dark being until it was little more than inanimate ash. The process brought such agony and suffering to the creature that even thinking about it ache all over. Granted its master's wrath would be no less severe for its failure but at least it would be quick. At least it hoped that was the case These thoughts refueled its purpose. It tore into and pried the metal of the trunk apart with renewed frenzy. Its fingers were little more that bloody nubs when it had finally created a big enough hole to fit its body through. Its burning red red eyes looked to the sky noticing that it was no longer a dark black but now a deep gray blue of morning. Decayed pieces of its flesh and bits of old rags and dried black blood clung to the jagged metal edges as it pulled itself out and landed feet first onto pavement. It was standing in the driveway of the home the woman had brought it to. It fell forward onto all fours and clambered down the driveway. It stopped for only a moment to commit the address to its memory then turned and scrambled back down the drive way. Needing to find cover from the oncoming sunlight, it fled around the side of the house and disappeared through the back yard into the fading gloom of morning. *********************************** Megeara sat down at her kitchen table nursing a cup of hot coffee while she thought things over. The police were still looking over the damages to her car. When she had found it earlier that morning, she had thought an animal had caused the damage But the police officers at the scene had said they had taken samples of blood, rotted flesh and clothing from the ruined trunk. She sighed. Her insurance definitely was not gonna be happy about this. But they were the least of her worries right now. She still had to find Dustin. He was still out there missing. But how would she go and look for him when her car was thrashed. She doubted the police would let her drive it as it was. She lifted the mug to her lips and took a long sip of the hot coffee. She guessed she could call a rental. That might do, at least for a few days until her car was fixed. She looked to the table where her cell lay and was about to pick it up when she heard a knock at her front door. Probably the police saying they were finished taking evidence, she thought. Megeara got up and walked through the kitchen and to the front door. Leaning in close to it , she looked through the eye hole. "Who is it?" she called through the door. "Detective Blake Ma'am. Just here to ask you some questions. Mind if i come in?" came an answer. Megeara had already told the two officers who were on the scene everything she knew already. She didn't have anything new to say. At least not to them. She had not told them about the night before when she was attacked. She had kept that tidbit to herself. She definitely did not need to be part of an investigation. there would be no way she could look for her friend then. "Ma'am May I come in and ask a few questions?"Blake's gruff voice came through the door. Megeara figured she had no real alternative."Sure one moment." She undid the chain and opened the door, standing partially behind it. Blake smiled and tipped his hat in greeting as he stepped inside. "Thank you Ma'am. I promise to just be a minute of your time. Just a few questions." he said. Megeara shut the door behind the detective as he walked past her. She was amazed at how big he really was. He had to be at least six and a half feet tall. He was built sold and had broad shoulders like a linebacker or better yet a Mack truck. How the hell did a man so big fit behind that tiny desk? Blake gave an easy smile."IS there some place we could sit and talk?" "How about the kitchen? I just made coffee. Would you like some?" She offered as she led him toward the kitchen. Blake's grin widened and followed. "I certainly would." Megeara walked over to the kitchen counter and searched through the cabinet for a mug for the detective. "So what did you want to ask?" "Well just to confirm what you told the other officers." he replied and got out a pad and pencil from inside his duster. "Sure go ahead."she found a mug and poured coffee into it. She handed it to him with a smile. He took the mug with his right hand."Thank you." Megeara sat down at the table and watched him. She quietly readied herself for any question he would have. She was not afraid of him but she still had not told anyone of the attack on her the night before. She was not sure she wanted to tell anyone. "You only saw the car when you went out this morning?" He asked, setting down the mug on the table and taking up his pencil. "That's right. I was going to do some errands and when i came out to the drive way, my trunk was torn apart." she lifted her own mug from the table and took a sip. "I see,"he wrote down her response, "And you did not hear or see anything last night?" "No I did not," she shook her head, "I was so tired last night i just went out like a light last night. Slept through the whole thing." Detective Blake nodded and wrote that down too. "You don't know anyone who would have done this or have any enemies that would wish you harm?" "No I don't know anyone who would do such a thing." Her hand went to her neck, covering the marks that were there. She gave him a fake smile so as to not alarm him to them. She was not sure that who had attacked her the first time had done this so really it was the truth and she had fallen asleep in the tub that night. She had woken up still in the tub around midnight and when she had reached her bed she fell right to sleep. Derrick Blake nodded again and wrote down her words. "Okay. Is there anything else I should know or that you think might be important?" "No not that I can think of" Their eyes met for a long moment then he looked back down to his notes. He was convinced she was telling the truth.He could sense something was off but maybe it was just her stress he was picking up on. He hid his thoughts behind a practiced smile and picked up his cup from the table and took a longer sip. "This coffee is pretty good Ma'am," he remarked, "Very strong. "Yeah i got to have something to wake me up when I get up in the morning."she smiled. "I can tell." Blake nodded."Off the record Ma'am but what is it that you do?" Megeara sipped her coffee." Oh I work at the mall. I stand around and try to get people to buy cell phones all day." Her other hand brushed her long silver hair over her neck to cover up the marks. "Ah. " He replied. "No formal training?" "Not really." she giggled softly, "Went to art school. I paint but that does not really pay bills ya know." "Yes that's understandable," Blake finished off his coffee then set the mug down on the table, "Sorry your car. Was very nice. I hope you can arrange some alternate transportation." She nodded "Yes I will be fine. I will just call a rental. Was that all you needed Detective Blake?" Under My Skin Ch. 05 "Yes Ma'am. Thank you your cooperation. I'll be getting out of your hair now." With that he smiled and walked out of the kitchen. Megeara followed him to the front door and opened it for him. He gave her a smile then stepped out. When she finally closed the door behind her and locked it, she collapsed down to the floor and breathed out relief. The police had apparently finished their investigation. She could hear them get in their vehicles and drive off. Now that they were gone, she could get back to finding her friend. Getting to her feet , she went back into the kitchen and grabbed her phone. She didn't know of any car rentals so she dialed information. As she waited for them to pick up, she wondered just what he was doing now. She really hoped he was alright. She bit her lip and her face darkened as she thought again to the thought of him being hurt by the same person who attacked her. The line on the end rang again and she growled at it impatiently. Come on, pick up already! She desperately wanted to get out there and find him. After the sixth ring, some cheery voiced representative picked up. Megeara forced her voice to be calm and polite as she described her needs to the assistant on the phone then heaved a sigh of growing agitation as she was forced to wait as she was transferred to a car rental phone line. It took several minutes just to iron out the details with the representative on the phone only to be put on hold again. She was beginning to get annoyed. She felt her nails biting in to her palm as she balled her fist up tight. Finding Dustin torn up like her trunk began to seep into her thoughts as she heard the old jazz wait music. Her stomach turned cold and her temper flared. She could not bear to wait anymore. This was not helping. She growled at the phone and hung up then grabbed her keys and walked with purpose out the front door. She got in and backed out of her drive way in a hurry. The engine roared as she pressed down the accelerator. She turned sharply and nearly ran red lights as she drove more recklessly than she had in her life. She knew in her heart Dustin needed her and she was going to find him. Under My Skin Ch. 06 Aksana sat motionless, gazing into the crackling fire that served as the only light within the deeper darkness that was her crypt far below the the ground. Her nerves were set on edge. Her mind, a whirlwind of doubt, fear, and tormenting memories. Try as she might, the chill from earlier lingered upon her, cloying presence in her thoughts and emotions. She had lived long, long enough to see empires fade and rise and fade again. Her eyes had witnessed the birth of many and the deaths of many more. Throughout the ages, she had traveled in search of a place of her own. She had thought she had found that place and found someone who could feed the gnawing, insatiable hunger within her. He had returned. He who she had thought to have been vanquished many years ago. He who had cursed her with an emptiness within. He who had taken her family, her father, her sister. Worse still, she had been his slave, his weapon just for the sheer sadistic pleasure it brought him. When all was said and done he had taken away everything. Aksana tensed, her fingers crushing the ends of the armrests as she recalled every bitter, hollow feeling one after the other. Her heart stuttered in revulsion at the very thought of the man's name. She quivered in her chair, eyes shutting tight, though that did nothing to ward off the specters of the memories clawing at her mind. His name was Fabian, a most cursed name, and even though it was his true name, it was just one of many. Aksana cursed the first time she heard it uttered. She could remember clearly when they had first crossed paths. That day, like so many others after it, would be marred with that black name... Fabian. Her father, Magnus who was leader of their clan was being honored by several smaller clans for a recent victory in battle. There were vampires, human thralls and servants all around . There were also those who sought favor from her father through gift or tithe or some other offering. Fabian was the latter of these. At that time, Fabian was a mere hedge mage, nothing more than a local herb doctor. Although he did dabble in the arts, but he used words and tricks rather than possessing any real talent. Though he long had purported the ability to raise the dead and command spirits, many of his peers and those sensitive to the metaphysical doubted he had any real magic talent at all. Whatever the rumors and whispers that flew about regarding his talent none of that seemed to deter him path toward power. Aksana frequently saw him in his drab, dark robes shuffling toward her father's end of the table in hopes of gaining his ear to tell another one of his lies. He would prostrate himself rather dramatically each time in honor of her father, proclaiming allegiance to their clan's cause and offering His aid if they ever needed it. Magnus had heard all about Fabian. Her father was well acquainted with his kind. Men who thought to ingratiate themselves into Magnus' good graces and by proxy his power. Though her father accepted the offerings politely, he dismissed the man gently. If truth were told he saw the human as nuisance. Each time he was dismissed, Fabian would hurry away from the halls quickly as if something were urgently needing his attending, though no one really knew what went on in the man's head. Always though before he left, He would turn and lay eye on Aksana. His magical ability may have been doubted, but the one feature that also held power was his cold, piercing blue-gray eyes. Every time she felt him look at her, her skin crawled, and she felt a twinge of nausea. Aksana loathed him and often silently prayed to Mother Night to rip his eyes from his sockets. As the years went by, her father rose in stature, propelling his name and their clan to higher and higher positions within the community garnering the respect and admiration of many on the Elder Council, a group specifically set up to oversee all the clans. It was no wonder that when the call came for their clan to go aboard one of the colony ships and start a new life in America, no one was surprised. What did come as a surprise to her father and to Aksana was that Fabian had quietly slithered his way into the favor of a few of the most influential on the Council. When Magnus' Clan was asked to undertake the journey to the new world he had oozed himself into a position to become their clan's human contact in the new world. Though a symbol of honor and pride for her father and other members of their clan, the voyage became Aksana's journey towards a pained and agonized existence. When they arrived in America, their clan was transported by wagon train. Thirty coffins, each holding one member, sealed completely for the entire ride to lessen risk of the sun or being discovered. Aksana slept like all the rest, awakened only when they arrived safely underground below the settlement they'd been chosen to inhabit. Upon their arrival the clan's human servants opened each of their coffins under the watchful eye of their contact, Fabian. He greeted each vampire as if they were royalty though most of the clan including her father ignored him and went about beginning their allotted tasks. Aksana nearly screamed when they opened her coffin lid. Those eyes of his peering down at her above a wide yellow-toothed grin. Had she not been a vampire, she would have turned white in shock. She felt his eyes following her as she stepped out of her coffin and made her way up into the manor itself and into her new chambers. One good turn of fortune was that Fabian did not live within the manor. Being a human and a servant, he was by station forced to live elsewhere. Additionally when it became know he delved into dark arts and associated with dark characters, he was prohibited him from residing in town. Therefore, in order to remain the clan's daytime contact with the outside world he was forced to take up residence in a cave that was adjacent to the manor's lands. Every night when the sun went down, Aksana would see Fabian reporting news to her father. Always before he left to attend to tasks appointed to him she would find his gaze settled upon her. Aksana voiced her feelings of trepidation and revulsion to her father regarding Fabian and how the man looked at her, but her father dismissed them as foolishness. Magnus saw no threat from Fabian. Her father thought the man weak and inconsequential. Though Aksana was unable to get her father to acknowledge her concerns, Aksana's sister Valera agreed and shared her concerns about the man. After each one of Fabian's visits to their manor, Aksana would tell her sister of how he looked upon her. Valera would listen and comfort her and for a time that helped quell her unease. As time passed and their clan's influence grew in their corner of the new world, Fabian's visits became more frequent. Each time he visited his boldness toward Aksana increased. No longer did he seem content with allowing his eyes to linger over her body. Somehow each visit he would arrange to talk to her, stroke a hand or a shoulder, making his lascivious intentions very clear. His visits became longer as the clan's influence spread. Many times Fabian's job required him to reported news from all around the area to her father and to handle many sensitive day time jobs for the clan. During such times Fabian stayed the night at the manor in order to cover all the details. This meant that Aksana would have to endure his presence within the safe haven of the manor itself. She now saw him not only as he entered her father's audience halls, but now in the dining area and out on the grounds as well. He had even grown so bold as to walk up and begin to converse with her without his prior pretenses. Though at first it was polite conversation which she handled with poise and restraint, the conversations soon became more personal. She had no love nor sympathy for the man, in fact quite the opposite. Aksana did her best the first few times to let him down gently when he spoke of his intentions toward her, but his continued advances wore her patience quickly. This often resulted in Aksana revealing her true feelings about him She rebuffed and rejected his advances each and every time though he kept coming back with renewed resolve to win her attention and favor. Aksana was so frustrated and repulsed by the situation that she began to lock herself in her room, not venturing out into the house proper or on the grounds whenever it was known he was in residence. For a time, this worked. She no longer saw Fabian nor did she have to bear his unending advances. She was greatly relieved to have finally gotten rid of this nuisance. She was somewhat happy again and could live her life in the new world without having to be bombarded by Fabian's requests for partnership or love. Unfortunately, to her sorrow this time of peace did not last. Aksana remembered the dark night that foretold the horrific journey she would soon undergo. She received a summons from her father to meet with him within his chambers. This summons itself unnerved her since the only time anyone got summoned to his chambers was on duties or business or some other matter of importance. It was rarely a good thing to receive an official summons from her father and it was never wise to ignore a summons or to even keep her father waiting for that matter. Even though as his daughter she was bound to answer his call promptly she raced to his chambers as anxiety nibbled at her heart. When she entered his chamber that night, her father was already awaiting her. Trembling slightly she tried valiantly to hide her apprehension and rising terror at seeing the smiling visage of Fabian standing there. Try as she might she could not keep a shudder from skittering over her skin as Fabian's predatory grin spread wider when she approached. Her father of course had his usual stoic look upon his face and revealed nothing as to what why she had been summoned. Bewildered by Fabian's presence when it was she who was summoned, She asked her father what was going on. Magnus explained that Fabian had asked for his permission to wed her. She blanched at the horror of that thought. Aksana gaped, dumbfounded at the man's audacity. She explained in very clear terms to her father that she had no feelings for Fabian and in fact would never even consider him as a wedded partner....ever! As Fabian was human, she did not have to accept the terms of the proposed suitor like she would have if he were another vampire. Fabian distraught and angered by her so public and vociferous rejection of him, asked her father to intercede and make her join with him. Magnus, being head of the clan, knew vampire tradition and law to the fullest measure and told Fabian that she was well within her right to deny him as suitor. Magnus also knew that his daughter wanted nothing to do with the human and shared some of Aksana's thoughts about the man. This further enraged Fabian, so much so that he lashed out to strike Aksana in a fit of rage. Magnus, using his superior speed and agility granted to him by his vampire lineage, intervened and caught Fabian mid strike with a blow of his own. The blow caught Fabian in the face and slammed him to the floor. The blow meant to stop Fabian and bring him to his senses was more powerful than intended due to the rage Magnus felt for the audacity of the human. Three long bloody gashes blossomed across the man's face and nose. Magnus took great offense that a human would show such disrespect in his house in such a manner and banished Fabian from the grounds as well as all territory controlled by their clan. Defeated and wounded, Fabian left the manor that night and fled amid curses and promises of his return to take that which he believed was rightfully his. No one saw or heard of Fabian again. Aksana could at least live in peace...or so she thought. A year passed and the memory of that bizarre night and of Fabian faded.The human colony thrived and prospered and by extension so did her clan. On a warm night in early spring her clan was celebrating the prosperity and growth of the colony. Vampires, human nobles, and servants alike gathered in the great dining halls to once again toast to her father's successes. There was song and dance, food and drink. Everyone wearing their best finery, Aksana included, became caught up in the revelry of the occasion. Then her father, Magnus called everyone to his attention as he rose from his seat and began to deliver a speech. All sat and listened intently as Magnus spoke about the colonies prosperity and growth and how pleased he was that he and his clan had been at the forefront of it. He went on to speak about future plans he wanted to put into motion for the colony as well as abroad. In the end, everyone stood and applauded Magnus while he bowed courteously to his audience. When the applause reached a crescendo, a lone figure in ebony robes and mask entered the room. Everyone fell silent and all eyes fell upon the figure. Guards on either side of the doors moved to intercept the intruder. The cloaked figure held out his arms, palms forward towards the guards and uttered barely audible syllables. The guards stopped as if frozen a mere foot from the mysterious man's side, paralyzed. The masked man in black stepped forward to the table, each movement measured and precise though relaxed. All the guests seated at the table watched in awe and confusion. Infuriated by the interruption and disrespect of the unknown intruder, Magnus demanded to know who he was and what business he had disrupting his celebration. The uninvited guest let out a deep rumble of laughter and pointed accusingly at Magnus. "You have forgotten me so quickly. Pity! For such a transgression your name shall be erased from this world and all those with you shall pay!" Every noble and human cringed in trepidation for no one had ever dared show such defiance towards Magnus before. Magnus stood livid, eyes narrowed to slits, threatening death upon his accuser. Magnus started to move around the table past his guests towards the masked intruder, but then stopped halfway. Hushed syllables again left the lips of the masked figure as his arms shot out straight and his fingers splayed out towards Magnus and those at his table. Aksana and those seated tried to rise to escape whatever this assailant was attempting, but their bodies only froze in place. Even Magnus was halted mid step, eyes wide in shock that someone had the power to immobilize an entire room of people including a vampire lord. A cackling bark of triumphant laughter echoed around the room as the masked figure reveled in the horrified expression on the faces frozen in place. He seemed to breath in their terror like it was ambrosia. Slowly like a predator stalking its prey, the masked assailant walked towards Magnus helpless form. "I shall have my victory this night." whispered the ebony figure, "You who have denied me what is mine shall no longer. I shall take from you what you hold dearest, Magnus." He began speaking in flowing syllables, tracing characters across Magnus' forehead. The figure went around and touched each guest's head in the same manner save Aksana. With each new individual he touched as he rounded the table his chanting grew louder and louder. HIs voice menacing and vehement. Then he spoke one final word of power and everyone he had touched disintegrated into black ash. Aksana's eyes were wide with horror as she was forced to watch her father and everyone around her become nothing more than finely powdered dust. The masked man cackled and howled in victory over the remains of his victims then strode over to Aksana's still paralyzed body. He spoke more words of magic, strange words with interwoven syllables. Aksana felt something pull on her very life force as if a hand wrapped tightly around her around very inner being and anchored itself there. "You denied me once, but not again my Aksana," he rasped into her ear. A wicked laugh slithered insidiously over her skin. "You are bound to me now. Come! We shall leave this place like your father...in ashes." Gobsmacked, she recognized the man now by that horrifying whispered threat. It was Fabian! Aksana wanted to scream, to wail to let out her sorrow at the loss of her sister and father. The humans and nobles she did not care for, but those two were dearest to her. She tried to focus her will to resist him, but her body was not her's. It moved on its own, following him like a puppet on invisible strings out of the manor and into the night. Fabian took her far from the lands controlled by their clan and the colonies to a crumbling wilderness fort that he had turned into his stronghold. Taken deep below the earth into his lair, she was helpless as Fabian used his dark magics to bind her body and soul to him, trapping inside her own mind helpless to do anything but his bidding. It soon became readily apparent to her that in the short year of his absence Fabian had grown stronger, crueler, and more twisted. That very night he made her his concubine and night after night took her body, forcing himself into her body as well as her mind and soul. When he was not defiling her body he made her go out into the night and hunt any innocent unfortunate enough to cross their path. On his more vile nights he would watch as he commanded her to feed off of and rape any human that at they came across whether it be a traveler on foot or a wayward carriage carrying women and children. She was forced to obey him as he commanded her to do these merciless acts though in her mind she screamed and cried for her life to end. When she slept within his crypt during the day, Fabian would scour ancient tomes and scrolls seeking to unlock and master more dark power. If Aksana thought his previous actions unforgivable and heinous, the power that he soon discovered would be the worst yet. One moonless night when she arose, he as before, began chanting and drawing his circles of power over her, commanding her body to stand still while he completed his ritual. Forced to watch, she once again bore witness to the monster he truly was. Not satisfied with the dark power he possessed, Fabian professed to her his search for immortality. That night he had found it or so he had told her believing her enslaved body no threat to his secrets. As he drew chalk circles and magical runes around her and himself, he told her of his quest and discovery of how he could cheat death. He explained that he was going to turn himself into a lich, an undead mage, by storing bits of his soul in receptacles he called phylacteries. Fabian went on to describe to her how through lichdom he could prevent his spirit from dying even if his entire physical being was destroyed somehow. Throughout this whole explanation all Aksana could was listen, a prisoner in her own body, unable to do anything to stop the man who controlled her. Fabian continued explaining how planned to eventually create a large phylactery for himself. Something grand befitting his perceived stature, but for now he would need to start small. Until he could amass the knowledge and power to construct something larger, he had to settle with something more practical, so he chose his mask. The new mask covered his battle scars from Magnus, but left his mouth and chin visible similar to the normal mask he preferred to wear. However, the new mask held a blood red gem centered in the forehead. This most treasured mask would be hidden and only his most trusted acolytes would be know its true location. The most horrible part of the process was its power source.Turning someone from living into an undead lich required power of death and life itself. To power the creation of his phylactery, he intended to use her life force, the essence that was her. Under My Skin Ch. 06 Aksana squeezed her eyes shut tight against the memory of watching from within her prison as Fabian stepped into his circle and started the chant to begin the ritual that would tap into the magical forces that made her who and what she was. She shivered as she remembered the room they had been in growing colder as Fabian tapped into his necromancer power. As he did a dark purplish mist began to grow at his feet and slowly crawl over to where she was bound. The mist inched its way to her until it soon touched her feet. Aksana whimpered at the memory of how her body had spasmed and her muscles had grown taut. The cold fire that had spread through her body as the mist rose higher was still palpable in her mind's eye. Everywhere it touched her skin turned cold and her body went numb. As the spell stole her essence from her body and replaced it with emptiness. Aksana felt a cold within that she had never felt before. It was endless, fathomless nothingness inside her. So cold... the chill gnawing at her demanding to be sated though she feared it never could. Fabian's chanting grew louder and changed in flow. The dark mist changed direction taking with it a large piece of Aksana's soul with it. The mist crept back toward Fabian and then as slowly as it did her it engulfed him. However, unlike her Fabian cried out in exultation. His body quivering with the power of her soul. He focused the mist until it traveled down his arms to his hands where it became a concentrated sphere of energy. Fabian ended the containment spell that held Aksana in the circle. Bereft of much of her life force, she collapsed to the floor. The last thing she saw before her eyes closed was the sight of Fabian channeling her soul...her essence and his into the mask he'd chosen as his phylactery. Aksana's rest was short lived. Her eyes were soon forced open by Fabian's binding spell as he commanded her to go with him on another nightly hunt with him. That night as they hunted Fabian heard the giggle of children and followed the sound. He spied a family gypsies lost in the forest around his stronghold. The leader of the group having heard legend of a man who controlled the dead knew what his family faced so he pleaded for Fabian to show mercy. Cruel as he was, Fabian heard none of the man's pleas and commanded her to feast upon every last man, woman, and child. A prisoner of his dark magic, she had no choice but to obey. Cold tears streamed down her face as she ripped and tore into each one of them as her puppet master had ordered. Feeding upon their wounded bodies until all of them lay lifeless on the ground. She could hear Fabian's cries of praise as he watched her slaughter them all. When they returned to Fabian's stronghold, Aksana prayed to the Night Mother from within her mind to end her life and spare her a moment more enslaved by the depraved necromancer. Aksana waited, but only silence answered. As many more murderous nights blended all together, she gave up hope that anyone had heard her prayers and resigned herself to her fate. Then something happened. When Aksana rose from her sleep one night, she felt different. Her body was not burdened with Fabian's control. She could move freely about. Her mind was no longer her prison! She cried tears of joy as she used her first free steps to run out of the fortress and into the cold night. Had something broken Fabian's control? She was not sure. All that mattered to her in that moment was that she was free, and she would use her freedom to get as far away from that place and Fabian as quickly as she could. During those first few days of running, she traveled under the cover of night and slept in graves or holes she dug herself. Aksana was careful to avoid humans for she feared running into another like Fabian or one of his disciples. She followed in the wake of caravans and travelers, always staying on the outskirts of any colony or settlement. Aksana heard rumors of a supposed necromancer wearing a leather mask had been betrayed by one of his followers and arrested by church authorities. After many cautious inquiries she learned he had been sentenced to death and burned at the stake in the small town of Salem. Aksana wanted desperately to believe he was dead, but she remembered the mask and did not believe death would stop someone like Fabian. Every night she expected to see Fabian riding through the darkness to come claim her again, to force her once more into submission and command her to do every corrupt and depraved thing his monstrous mind could imagine just because he had the power to do so, but he never did. Nights turned into months which turned into years until finally, she came to believe that the nightmare was finally over. With her clan destroyed and no support from the towns she was near, Aksana chose to go underground and sleep until the world became a better place for her kind. When she finally awoke decades had turned the small town she had slept under to a city full of concrete pathways, electric carriages and giant man made structures that reached toward the heavens. It took her many years to adjust to the advances man had made, but slowly she once again created a life for herself. The fire crackled and snapped her from her reverie. That had been at least fifty years ago. She shivered and rose from where she sat. Things were much different now. Especially since she'd learned to thrive in the new age with humans. She lived among them practically a princess, especially now that she had come upon her own pet in Dustin. Aksana shuddered and frowned deeply at the reminder of having to send him away. His innocence and submission had for a time kept her emptiness at bay. However, now with what she felt was surely Fabian's resurgence, she could not risk Dustin getting caught in the web of her past. She hoped that her pet would be alright. Aksana promised herself she would come for him soon, but for now she needed to gain knowledge to either put her fears to rest or to prepare for the worst. Inwardly, she vowed to never be Fabian's slave again. Quietly , she moved through the corridors under the house, coming to a secret exit only she knew about. She needed to find out more about what was going on around town. There had to be a connection between what she'd felt in her chambers and the ghoul she'd rescued Dustin from. The crisp autumn air greeted her as she drifted from shadow to shadow hiding from the midday sun as she went through town. * Megeara had just about given up for the day. She had been to the library, two grocery stores and even the local comic shop trying to find anything of Dustin's whereabouts and come up with nothing. Her heart sank as she thought about their last time together. Dustin had spent the night over her place for dinner. They had ended up cuddling on the couch together and talked about what they wanted in life and the future. That night seemed like a lifetime ago now that he had gone missing and all her attempts to locate him so far had failed. She sighed and leaned back in her seat as her car sat mired in afternoon traffic. The sun's glare angled into the window forcing her to pull down the visor on the driver side so she could see. Traffic seemed very bad that day. Vehicles moved inch by inch. "Oh! Come on!" she hissed in frustration. A car behind her honked on its horn. What is causing everyone to go so slowly? Megeara leaned out her driver side window to try and see ahead. She could barely see much over the tops of the cars, but it was clear something had everyone stopped in their tracks. Horns from different cars blared in disdain. She was just about to honk her own horn just to have something to do when she saw someone up ahead walking across the lane. It was a male dressed in light blue denim jacket and jeans. He was walking very slowly, like he was sleeping or something. She growled, "Figures some nut thinks its ok to cross midday traffic. Wait! Didn't Dustin dress something like that?" She thought. Her heart skipped a beat as she leaned out to get another look at the guy, but he was too far away to see clearly. She bit her lip trying to decide what to do. What if it was him? Much to the disgruntlement of those drivers behind her, she got out quickly and ran up towards the man walking across the traffic. As she ran by more people honked thinking she the reason for the delay. She ignored them and continued on until she was a few feet from him. Her heart fluttered as she saw the familiar hair, the jacket, his skinny arms and his familiar gait. She found him! Not thinking, she rushed over to him crying out his name and hugging Dustin tightly around the neck and held him there. He stopped walking as she held. She squeezed him tightly and was so delighted to find him that it did not at first register that he had not responded to her. She frowned. "Dustin? It's me, Meg!" she said as she released her stranglehold on him and looked into his eyes. He just seemed to be staring straight ahead with a blank look on his face. It was if he did not see her or hear her at all. What was going on? Was he ignoring her? "Dustin! It's me, Megeara. Where have you been? I have been looking all over for you!" she said, getting worried when he still did not respond. Cars all around them honked their horns, but even that did not break him from his stupor. She frowned deeply and bit her lip. "What's wrong with you? Are you mad at me?" she pleaded, beginning to feel hurt by how he was acting. He just stared off into space like there was no one home in his head. Her lip quivered as she felt tears beginning to burn behind her eyes. "Dustin! Damn it! I love you! Please say... something!" her voice now warbled with tears as she shook him lightly by the arms. She began sobbing in earnest as her outburst still did nothing. What was going on? This was not like him at all. Something was wrong. He was like a zombie. Megeara bit her lip trying to get her emotions under control. A car horn honked and someone shouted for them to move. A part of her was so happy to have found him, but he was acting as if she wasn't even there. What was she supposed to do? It hurt her to see him act this way. He was her best friend and more. She wanted him to acknowledge her... to do something... to say something. She loved him but he was not even recognizing her. She was running out of ideas and patience and they were keeping dozens of cars idle. She needed to get him moving. God! She loved him so much. She begged, "Please say something!" Nevertheless, he just stood there staring blankly. On impulse she leaned in and kissed him, wrapping her arms around him. His eyes blinked and came into focus. She felt his hands grasp her wrists as she pulled away. "Megeara... What? Where did you come from? Why are we in traffic?" he blinked in confusion as he snapped out of it. Her answer came in the form of another kiss, harder than the first. She melted against him ignoring everything around them for several moments. When she finally broke the kiss both of them were breathless. Her cheeks were flushed red. She grabbed his hand and tugged him back to her car. "Come on. We need to get you someplace safe. You can explain to me then where you have been and what happened to you." Her tone was firm, no nonsense. He followed her back to her car and he got in. She shut her door then put the car in reverse and turned out of the lane and sped towards her apartment. To be continued... Under My Skin Ch. 07 Megeara parked in front of Dustin's apartment building. They got out and made their way up to his floor. Dustin stopped to search for his keys and found them strangely in his pants pocket. He went to put the key into the hole but Megeara stopped him and turned the doorknob. The door swung open. "Great, I guess I forgot to lock up when I left," he said to himself, hoping nothing was stolen. He found to his relief that everything was as he left it. Unfortunately for them both, they discovered something new in the apartment. Having been missing for days, the trash had spoiled and mixed with stale air into a most pungent and nauseating stench. They both stood in the living room pinching their noses. "Sorry.", Dustin apologized, "I guess I forgot to take the trash out too." "Its ok." she replied, trying to smile. "Under the circumstance I think I can let this slide." He smiled, thankful to have found such a understanding and caring friend. Most people would have complained or nagged him about things like this but she always seemed to know just what to do or say around him. She never seemed to mind his many faults or his mistakes. Dustin wondered if Megeara was somehow a saint in disguise. Megeara suddenly had an idea and pointed towards his room. "Why dont you got get some clothes and we will go to my place for awhile and let this place air out? He had not considered it but given the stench Dustin agreed it did sound like a good idea. "Alright, just give me a few minutes to gather some stuff and we will get out of here." Megeara swatted his bottom playfully with her free hand. "Go ahead. I'll wait here." Dustin nodded and went back to his room to gather what he needed to stay the night. Megeara walked around the apartment while she waited. When she entered the kitchen, she spotted the note she had written him. She smiled and picked up the note, folded it and put it in her pocket. She would keep it and show him later. One of these days she thought, they would laugh about this whole ordeal. She turned and headed back into the living room just as Dustin came out of his room with an armful of clothes and a toothbrush. Dustin looked back, once again amazed he had found someone as beautiful. Her silver hair gleaming in the afternoon sunlight that came through the windows. He remembered her telling him she often changed her hair color to appear more normal since people tended to stare when she was growing up, but he always thought the silver made her seem unique. Megeara smiled back seeing him standing there staring and motioned towards the door. "Come on lets go. The quicker we leave, the sooner we can talk about what has happened," he replied following her out and back down to the car. When he stepped outside he stopped instead of going to put his things in the car. He stared in disbelief at the back of the car. Someone had done a number on the trunk of her car. His eyes widened seeing the gaping hole. Did something happen to your car? Megeara laughed nervously. "Yeah about that. I'll tell you on the way okay? Hop in." Dustin got in and Megeara recounted what had happened to her while she drove. When they got to Megeara's house, she had finished telling him about her going to the police, her being attacked as well as finding out that this was not the only kidnapping to happen in the city. His mind raced with thoughts and with even more questions. It seemed to him that the world had suddenly gone crazy in his absence and he somehow felt responsible for her being attacked, even if he couldn't really say for sure if his kidnapping had anything to do with all the other occurances. "So now that I'm no longer missing, what now?" he asked as she parked the car and they got out. He noticed a shadow behind him and nearly jumped before realizing it was his own.Great, now I'm jumping at my own shadow, he chided himself. He looked toward the sky and saw the sun had already begun to go down. Megeara had some idea but wasn't really certain about what would happen. "Well, the police, especially Detective Blake, will want to talk to you and maybe they will put us under surveillance or protection or something but other than that, I don't know sweety. For now don't worry about it. The importantant thing is youre safe. Come on, let's go in and get you settled in." She smiled trying to be positive and led him to the fornt door. She unlocked it and held it open, waiting for him before going in. "Sure," he replied, getting his clothes out of the car. He quickly went inside and sat his things down on the arm of her couch in the living room. Megeara closed and locked the door behind him then joined him. She wrinkled her nose as she noticed he kinda smelled a bit. "Are you hungry?" she asked. "Yes. Very much actually." "Me too," she smiled warmly. "Why don't you go take a shower and I'll make us some dinner? Then we can talk a bit more while we eat." Dustin agreed and took his clothes with him to the bathroom. He couldn't remember the last tiime he had taken a shower. In fact, he couldn't really remember much of the day before he saw Megeara on the road. He shuddered, realizing he couldn't remember much of the days before today either. Was he losing his mind? The loss of memory greatly unsettled him as he struggled to recall anything about the last few days. He was beginning to get really scared when he thought of what he could've done without his knowing. Why couldn't he remember? Dustin shook his head as he shut the door and set his clothes on the bathroom sink. He went to the tub and pulled the shower curtain closed before turning on the hot water. Maybe the shower would help him relax enough to remember something, he hoped. Forcing the thought from his mind for the moment, he undressed while the water poured from the showerhead. The hot water scalded him when he first got in but he quickly got used to it and closed his eyes as he stood under the cascading water. He let his thoughts turn inward once more as he allowed himself to relax. He took in a few deep breathes, drawing in the hot air around him as he tried once more to remember. At first all he got was emptiness like before, but when he concentrated harder, small fragments came back to him. He could remember going to the store and on that day it was storming. He remembered getting food and leaving the store then being attacked by something. No someone. The image in his mind was blurry. He thought he remembered his attacker as sickly but wasn't sure. There was a struggle then a woman came and chased his assailant away. Dustin tried to recall details about the woman or who she was but all he could remember were her eyes and her saying something to him. Then his mind went blank and he could remember nothing else after that. The only other memory he had was meeting Mea earlier that day and from what he gathered while being in the car with Megeara was that she had found him walking across traffic in a daze after days of being missing. Why had he been walking? And where had he been walking from? Dustin sighed and rubbed his eyes. None of this made sense to him. A cold chill went down his spine despite the steamy water flowing over him. The thought of not knowing what he had been doing for three whole days scared the hell out of him. If someone had done something to him, he couldn't say. There were no marks, no signs of danger. He couldn't even tell where he had been. How was he supose to talk to Megeara if he didn't remember anything? Futhermore, how the hell was he supposed to talk to a detective or the police? Dustin felt his chest grow tight and he could hear his beartbeat in his ears as his thoughts spiraled out of control. Leaning against the wall, he took a few deep breathes to steady himself. Once finally calm, he picked up a bar of soap and began to wash. "Looks like I am just gonna have to wing it," he muttered to himself. "I guess its a good thing it's one of the things I'm good at." Dustin finished washing his body then did his hair. Turning off the water, he stepped out and grabbed the towel hanging off the rack on the door and dried off. Once dry, he got dressed and hung the towel back up on the rack and headed to the kitchen. He could smell the delicious aroma of sphaghetti and meatballs as it wafted to his nose. Megeara was busy working over the stove when he came in. She turned her head back and offered him a smile. He went to say something in return but his stomach beat him to it and announced his hunger with a rather loud rumble. He blushed and started to apologize as she broke into laughter but then ended up just laughing along with her. They laughed together before he finally sat down at the kitchen table to watch her cook. Megeara turned back to the pot and skillet on the stove and began adding sauce to the noodles. "The shower must have been nice,"she remarked,"You stayed in for almost half an hour." "Um, yes it was. Thank you." he replied. His stomach growled again at the sound of meat sizzling. "Good. I'm glad to hear it."she said over her shoulder. Megeara giggled hearing his stomach growling. Both of her hands were busy stirring and flipping the meat around and mixing the sauce in evenly with the noodles. Dustin licked his lips as his mouth began to salivate from the smells coming form the stove. If there was one thing, Dustin could credit Megeara as being good at, it was cooking. Everything she made smelled good, looked good and tasted even better. "That smells absolutely delicious!" She giggled."Why thank you. Its almost ready. Why don't you get some plates and set the table for us?" "Sure," he agreed, getting up and going over to the cabinets above the sink. He opened the cabinet and got two plates out, Megeara stepped in behind him and pressed her chest into his back and rested her cheek on his shoulder. He felt her breath against his neck and it made him shiver. "My, you smell delicious too!" she purred. She could smell the soft fragrance of peach scented soap on his skin. Dustin gulped and found his pulse quickening. She leaned in and kissed his cheek softly then teasingly went back to the stove. He watched her take the few steps away, his task for the moment forgotten. Megeara turned her head back to wink at him. "Weren't you doing something?" "Oh..um..yes...sorry." he stammered, remembering he had to set the table. He quickly hurried over and set the plates down then went over to one of the drawers for forks and knives. Megeara giggled, enjoying how he reacted to her. When he was on the other side of her getting glasses for their drinks, she reached over with one hand and pinched his butt. He tensed and jumped, and thats when she noticed he was wearing his pajama pants instead of his usual jeans. "Those look quite comfortable on you,"she remarked, seeing the little miniature X-men logos on his pajamas. He looked down and realized what he was wearing. Mentally he slapped himself and his cheeks turned a few more shades of red. He felt so embarassed. She must think I'm such a dork, he thought. "Oh um..yeah.. they are." he smiled trying to hide that he was inwardly kicking himself. He felt so embarassed as he set the glasses and silverware onto the table. Dustin was just about to say something else but then the phone rang. "I'll get it." Megeara said. "Could you mix the meat in with the rest and make our plates?" "No problem,"he replied, taking their plates over to the stove. Megeara hurried into the living room and picked up the cordless phone from its stand by the couch. "Hello?" she spoke quietly, not expecting anyone to call at this hour. A gruff, but familiar voice answered. "Miss Rose? Hello, this is Detective Blake. I'm sorry to disturb you but I am calling to inform you that I have sent two police cars over to your house to stand watch tonight." "Oh!" Megeara went over to her front window and looked outside. Night had already begun to settle in. She could see the lights atop two cars parked on the side of the street. It was too dark to see any of the officers inside but she knew they were watching. "I see them. Thank you Detective." she said." I really appreciate it. You didn't need to do that." "No need to thank me, miss," he replied, "Seeing as you're the only person who is not missing in this case, it is important we protect you. You are our only link at this point in our investigation." "Oh well thank you again, but I'm not the only one." she informed him. "Hm? What do you mean Miss? Are you saying you have found new evidence?" Blake inquired. "I found Dustin." she replied a bit too loudly. She covered her mouth afraid she sounded too excited." "It's alright. Thats very good news." Blake reassurred her. His tone became more alert and renewed with purpose. "Just stay in tonight and don't worry about anything. I will be there tomorrow to ask questions." he continued. "Oh you don't have to worry about that, detective," she assured him. "Excellent. Then I will see you tomorrow afternoon then. Goodnight Miss Rose." "Thank you again and goodnight Detective Blake," she said before hanging up and going back to the kitchen. Dustin was already sitting at the table waiting. Two plates topped full with hot, steaming spaghetti waited to be eaten. Megeara went over and sat down across from him. "Who was on the phone?" he asked curiously. "Oh, that was Detective Blake from the police station," she picked u her fork and smiled at him, seeing he had been polite and waited for her before he had started eating. "He called to tell us we are under police protection. I told him I had found you and he said he would be over tomorrow to ask you some questions." Dustin swallowed hard and tensed. His face paled slightly and he felt suddenly very nervous. He looked down at Megeara's hands seeing she had already begun to spin spaghetti around her fork. He quickly picked up his and started to do the same. "Questions?," he asked as he brought the fork to his mouth. Megeara nodded as she chewed her food. She reached for her glass and found Dustin had poured water from the fridge and took a drink. "Yes. The police will want to know where you were and what happened," she said, seeing him more than a bit nervous. "As do I. Is there something wrong?" "Well..Its just," he began looking down at his hands. He sighed, figuring it best if he just came out and said it. "I don't remember much before today..." Megeara reached out and gently guided his fork down to the plate. She looked him in the eyes taking his hand into hers and squeezing it lightly. "Its alright sweety. Whatever you do or dont know, it doesnt matter, I'll be here with you to figure it out every step of the way." Dustin looked down feeling her warm hand on his. He felt stupid not being able to remember anything but Meeara's words and touch comforted him and made all that seem to go away. He looked back up to her. His heart beating faster as their eyes met. Finally after several moments he managed to speak. "I really need to thank you, Meg. I don't know how to thank you enough for everything you've done tonight and well ever for that matter. You have always been there for me." She leaned forward and a smile grew on her face." I can think of one thing that you could do." What's that," he leaned in towards her, thinking she would divulge what she wanted. Her scent filled his nose as he stared into her eyes, patiently waiting. "Kiss me." she said simply. Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she said the words. Megeara knew he was incredibly shy so she made it easy for him. She leaned in until their lips were barely a space apart. "Kiss me." she repeated. Dustin stared silently. The distance between them was a mere space but to him it might as well have been a canyon. He swallowed hard feeling a lump growing in his throat. He had known her for so long and had grown to care about her but he never could bring himself to tell her for fear he would ruin their friendship. Now she had caught him off guard. He trembled and began to panic. Megeara watched the struggle play out on his face. She had seen him do this many times before when asking other girls out but she did not think he would be so nervous around her. Unlike him, however this did not deter her. "Well if you won't, then I will!" she declared before pressing her lips to his. Dustin's eyes went wide as he tasted her soft, supple lips. His doubts and fears were replaced by the passion of the kiss. His body quivered, having dreamed of a moment like this for so long. His hand gently squeezed hers at the same time her other hand began to gently rub the back of his head. A soft moan escaped from her lips. She broke the kiss but only for a moment to lean in closer and kiss him once more. This time it was much deeper. Her eyes closed, savoring every moment of it with him. When she finally let go and opened her eyes, both of them were panting and she was more than a little excited. Dustin could feel his lips still tingling as he slipped back into his chair. Her passion had left him out of breath but wanting more. His body trembled in excitement and he could feel a definite stiffness growing inside his pajamas. Dustin watched her drink, his eyes focused on those wonderful soft lips of hers. She got up once her glass was empty and went to refill it. In doing so, she took her time, teasing him by swaying her hips as she got closer to the refrigerator. Dustin gulped, his pulse racing and he grew even warmer watching her. He watched as she poured her self a drink then came back to her seat and sat down. She gently took his hand and held it, her eyes sparkling once more. "You know, you and me have been friends for along time and I know you like me Dustin," she said softly, her eyes holding his attention. "But I want you to know before anything else happens, that it's ok for us to be more than that." Dustin froze, was she really saying what he thought she was. He felt another lump in his throat and tried to swallow. He had dreamed and fantasized about being with her but never thought he would hear her say something like that. "Really? You mean it?" A wide smile grew on her face. Megeara couldn't help but giggle a little at how bashful he was being. It was part of why she liked him so much. He was so innocent sometimes and she knew he had a good heart. With a little work, she knew he would be the one she could give her heart to. She just had to get him out of his shell a little. Megeara nodded. "Yes, I mean it. All you have to do is tell me what you want." He sat there reeling. This was not how he had planned asking her out or for a relationship even. What could he say? His heart screamed at him to tell her he indeed did love and care for her and he did want a relationship. But his head screamed back to his heart that right now definitely was not the right time with all that was going on. Deep down he feared something was going to happen the minute he let his guard down. he knew in his heart he would do anything to keep Megeara safe from harm but his world had just been turned upside down. Parts of his memory was missing and who knew what had occurred. How could he be with her and not be able to protect her. What if something happened again? "But what about all the kidnappings and you being attacked?" Megeara took both his hands and shook her head resolutely." We can get through this together but right now I need to know honestly how you feel. Do you you want to be with me? Do you love me?" Despite all the fears he had about what could happen and all his doubts in himself, he couldn't lie to himself in her eyes. he knew that if he did he would never get another chance. Dustin looked into her eyes and spoke what was in his heart for the first time. Under My Skin Ch. 07 "Yes I do . I do want to be with you, Megeara. I always have." Megeara's eyes grew wide and wet as her heart filled with joy at his answer. She couldn't help but smile, heart swelled with love. She was so happy at that moment, she started to cry. Dustin felt so relieved once he had said what had been in his heart so long. He saw her smile and felt his own heart swell. He started to feel a warm happiness but then the tears melted away his moment and replaced his happiness with confusion. "Did I say something wrong?" he asked, afraid perhaps he had not said enough. Megeara wiped her eyes and went over to him. He looked up at her and felt her warm hands on his face. Her eyes glistened as she stared down. The smile from before still on her lips as she leaned down to kiss him. "No. Not at all," she whispered, her lips barely apart from his, "You've made me very happy, Dustin." Her lips pressed hard to his before he could say anything. Her hands slid down to caress the back of his head. The warm heat from the kiss intensified and took the breath from both of them. Megeara leaned in closer, straddling him in the chair. Dustin barely had time to wrap his arms around her and support her before the fire on her lips spread to him. In that moment, all his fears faded and he forgot he was in her kitchen. All that mattered right then was her. Her and nothing else. Both their eyes closed as they savored the moment. Both gasped when their lips finally parted. Their cheeks both red. Her wet tears had matted to his face. Megeara smiled, and mussed his hair playfully. "Thank you for being honest with me." Dustin flushed, still swept up in the moment. "You have always been there for me. I could do no less." Megeara leaned in and kissed him once more then slid from his lap to her feet. She reached down and gently brushed one of her tears from his face. "Good. Im glad you feel that way." she winked at him. "I guess now we should eat." They laughed, having both forgotten about their food. For the rest of the evening they ate, and talked about old times and new, never once bringing up the predicament they were in. The kitchen was filled with their laughter until their plates and glasses were both empty. "I suppose now we wil have to do the dishes." Dustin said. She shook her head and got up. Gently taking his hand, she pulled him to his feet and led him into her bedroom. "We can do that tomorrow. For now, lets just cuddle and enjoy our first night together. Okay?" Dustin grinned. "Sounds good to me." "I hoped it would," she said as she kissed his cheek and closed the bedroom door behind them. To be continued. Under My Skin Ch. 08 Dustin awoke with a start, jolting in his bed, his breathing coming in rapid breaths. His skin was slick with sweat underneath his shirt and pajama pants. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the bright sunlight that had snuck its way into the room through the closed blinds. Reaching up he began to rub his head, in a poor attempt to get the cobwebs out of his mind. It took quite a few moments for his hard breathing to subside. Looking over, he saw Megeara sleeping peacefully on the other side of the bed. She was curled up next to him. Her arm lay barely an inch away from him. She wore a wide smile on her sleeping face. She looked peaceful, he thought. The idea of disturbing her pained him, so as quietly as he could, he slid out from under the covers and went to the bathroom. Once there, he shut the door as silently as possible. Letting down the toilet lid, he sat down to hold his head in his hands. The pair of green eyes that had invaded his dream and had awoken him returned to his mind. Why had he dreamt that? Was it even something he did, he shuddered. Last night had been so wonderful. He had enjoyed cuddling under the covers with Megeara while they talked and laughed about old times, even the bit about what had happened. Granted, the latter had been harder to talk about, but he really had no answers since he still could not remember much. Dustin sighed and shook his head. So why was he being spooked out of a sound sleep? Was it his mind playing tricks on him or was he possibly remembering something? The cold bathroom floor did little to help as he sat there and tried to remember. Anythingat all about what had happened or what he had done in the past day or so. But still nothing. Well one thing was for sure, whatever those eyes were, it sure ruined what could have been a perfect morning. He decided not to dwell on his negatives thoughts, when he heard a gentle knock on the bathroom door. "Dustin? Are you in there," asked Megeara's from the other side of the door. "Dammit," he cursed under his breath. Well so much for not waking her up, he thought. "Dustin? Are you okay," she sounded worried now. "Yes. I'm fine. I'm sorry if I woke you." The door opened and Megeara stepped in quietly. She was still wearing her black teddy bear pajamas from the night before. Her hair was perfect. Beautiful silver strands framed her face delicately. Dustin smiled; even when she was not trying to, Megeara looked beautiful. She reached up and touched his cheek. "What's the matter," she asked, her eyes searching his. "What's wrong?" Dustin tried to hide it under a smile. "I'm fine. It's nothing." Megeara frowned deeply. "You're hiding something. I know it. I can tell. What is it? Tell me." "How can you tell?" he swallowed hard. He cursed himself again in his mind. Why had he tried to hide it? He knew he sucked at hiding things. "Tell me," she insisted. Both her hands cupped his face and held him there. "I...," he paused trying to decide what exactly to tell her, "sort of had a dream," he admitted. Her hands felt so soft, warm and comforting. "Okay. Go on." "Well it was just now. I was asleep and I dreamt about a pair of green eyes." Megeara's eyebrows rose. "Really? Whose eyes were they? Were they of someone you recognize?" Dustin shook his head. "No. At least I don't think so. " Her thumbs began caressing either side of his face as she held on and looked down into his eyes. "Then what happened?" "That's it," he exhaled softly. He sat back down on the toilet. His hands went to her wrists. Megeara stepped closer and knelt down in front of him. He could see she was trying to make sense of what he had said. He thought maybe she would be upset for a moment but then a smile formed on her lips. She leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. His face growing warm as he felt her soft lips once more. Memories of what they'd done in the kitchen flooding his mind. "It was just a dream then, sweetie." She let her hands drop from his face then stood up. "Come on.Let's get some breakfast." Dustin smiled, hearing the familiar happy tone of her voice return. His stomach grumbled as if on cue. He blushed profusely. She giggled and ran a hand through his hair. He stood and followed her as she went to the kitchen. "Okay, sure." Megeara went to the refrigerator and opened the freezer. Looking inside, she pulled out four sausage, egg, and biscuit sandwiches. "Two for me and two for you, sound good," she asked as she looked in the freezer. "Yes, that's fine," he replied, standing over by the kitchen table. His stomach growled softly as if to agree. Megeara giggled again as she shut the freezer and popped the sandwiches in the microwave. Dustin couldn't help but watch as she moved so gracefully around the kitchen in her pajamas. She must have felt his gaze because Megeara turned and winked at him with a mischievous grin on her face. "Something catch your eye there, stud?" "Oh...um... you," he managed to say. His brow furrowed in confusion. Did she just call him a stud? Megeara came over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Leaning in close, she whispered "It better be me, or I'm gonna be jealous," she breathed against his lips then gave him a quick kiss before going to the cabinets and getting them some plates. He stood there, lips still warm from her kiss. He had to take a deep breath to calm himself, feeling stirrings between his legs. "So ... um... what will we do after breakfast?" he asked. Megeara walked right over to the microwave and set the plates down. "Well you can stay in those Pajamas, while I wash your clothes, then I'm getting dressed. Detective Blake and the police are coming over sometime this afternoon to ask you questions." Dustin froze, he had completely forgotten about that. The realization hit him like a ton of rocks and killed any enjoyment he had been having minutes before. He sighed deeply, pulled out one of the kitchen chairs and sat down. His smile turned into a look of anxiety and trepidation. "What am I going to tell them? I can't remember anything." Hearing the sound of his voice, Megeara ignored the ding of the microwave and went over to him. Her hand went through his hair for the second time that morning as she looked down at him with love sparkling in her eyes. "Sweetie, I know you don't but then that's all you need to do. Just make a statement, then they'll leave. They just want to interview you since you're the only one who was taken and has come back." Dustin took in a breath and breathed it out slowly. He felt uncomfortable and useless as hell but her smile, her touch made going through it more than bearable. A small smile crept on his lips as he looked at her. "Well I guess. But I can't be the only one. How many kidnappings were there?" "Quite a few around town, and one did attack me one night as well," she said, her fingers once again caressing his face. Seeing him smile a little, she remembered about the food and hurried over to prepare them breakfast. Placing the sandwiches on their plates, she quickly set one down in front of him then took the seat beside him. "Let's not think of it right now, Dustin. Let's just eat and enjoy another meal together." Dustin nodded as he picked up a sandwich and began tearing into it hungrily. Megeara joined him, taking small bites. She rose and got them both a glass of milk, then resumed eating. Dustin was already on his second sandwich before she was done with her first. She took a drink and swallowed. Her right hand reached across to touch his arm. His eyes went from his food to where she had touched him, then over to her face. His her gentle touch soothed him. The rest of their meal went by in comfortable silence until Megeara rose to place their empty plates in the sink. "So what do I do now," he asked. Megeara put her finger to her lips in thought, then said, "Well, if you don't mind doing these dishes, I'll go take a shower." Dustin nodded, more than happy to do a little chore for her after all she had done for him. He hoped that he would be able to do more to repay the love and comfort she had given him. "Sure, no problem." "Alright then. I'll see you in a little bit, "she grinned and swatted his bottom as he made his way towards the sink. He let out a little moan and smiled back as she disappeared into her room. Dustin looked down into the sink and began to wash the dishes. By the time he finished, Megeara was still in the shower so he went to her room and picked up his dirty clothes and took them to the washroom to be washed. Her washroom was small, only room enough for the washer, the dryer and for someone to stand but he didn't mind. Dustin threw his clothes in the wash, added some detergent, turned it on then went back and sat down at the kitchen table. Dustin didn't have to wait long as Megeara soon came out of the shower wrapped in a white towel around her hair and body. She smiled seeing him there and went over to him to kiss him on the cheek, not minding she was dripping water. "Did you get the dishes done?" "Yes I did," he replied, cheeks growing warm from her lips. "And I put my clothes in the washer while you were in the shower." "Good boy," she said softly, her hand running through his hair. "Why don't you come and help me get dressed?" Hearing those two words made his body shiver. Dustin had never told her about his submissive fantasies and to hear her say those words like that surprised him and truth be told, aroused him as well. He blushed deeply at the thought of seeing her naked. "Are you sure?" Megeara stroked his cheek as she looked into his eyes, she knew this was just him being modest but she didn't want this to be a wall between them. She wanted him respectful but right now she wanted him to abandon his shyness and be as close and open to each as possible. "We are together now aren't we?" "Well yes," he said "Then of course I'm sure. I would not be with you if I didn't want you to see me naked," she smiled softly. She took his hand and tugged him to his feet. "I appreciate you trying to be courteous but right now I just want you to have fun and for us to grow together. Okay?" Dustin couldn't find the words to say no, so he just nodded and let her lead him back to her room. Once there, Megeara sat him down on the side of her bed and then let the towel around her body drop to the floor. Dustin gulped, his hands gripping the bed in order to stop the urge to reach out and touch her naked flesh. He felt his cock tent in his pants in arousal and quickly crossed his legs to conceal it. His face flushed, unable to hide his embarrassment. He didn't want Megeara thinking he was a pervert but she had always turned him on when he saw her and with her now naked, it was hard for him to deny his feelings. Megeara grinned, watching him trying to hide his obvious arousal. She allowed herself a small giggle in her mind, Silly boy, she thought, I'm so going to enjoy teaching you a thing or two. With a warm smile, she carefully unwrapped her hair letting the wet hair cascade down her shoulders and over her breasts. She cupped the bottoms of her breasts and held them up slightly, striking a pose for him. "Well love, do you like what you see?" Dustin swallowed hard and gripped the bed sheet tighter. God, she was pushing so many of his buttons, he could feel his shaft grow another inch just by looking at her. He swallowed again before answering. "Yes I do very much." "Good. That's what I want to hear," she licked her lips satisfied with his answer. Seductively she went over to him, her movements slow and coordinated as she straddle his lap and pressed her body to his. Her knees on either side of his thighs, this position making her taller so that her breasts came right at his mouth. She laid her hands gently upon his shoulders and leaned in to kiss his neck. Megeara could feel his body shaking as she kissed him. His skin felt warm and she could feel his heart beating rapidly. Her own body quivered, feeling the excitement and arousal she was generating in him. She could also tell he was tense and afraid. The thought of taking him right there popped into her mind but she banished it, wanting to get him to open up more to her. She knew he had something hidden just not sure what, yet she was determined to find out, even if she had to tease it out of him. She wanted him, but she wanted for them to both enjoy it. She leaned in close to his ear and whispered. "Dustin, I want you but I also want you to relax and enjoy us been together. I want you to feel comfortable and be able to tell me what you like and desire. Can you do that for me?" She punctuated the last words with soft nibbles down the side of his neck. Dustin moaned, her breast had more than once brushed his face and lips, teasing him with the thought of opening his mouth and suckling upon her. Her warm flesh sent shivers and the bites made goosebumps grow everywhere as he jumped from each one. She was winding him up so much that he could barely answer with a hoarse, "Yes." Megeara leaned back and sat on his lap, looking down lovingly into his eyes. She could see by way his body had reacted and how he was staring up at her speechless now that her teasing had been more than effective. She could feel his manhood press against her slit through his pajamas and it made her own arousal stir and grow. She knew there would be time for more play and discovery so she pushed her desire down and leaned in to kiss him tenderly. "Dustin, I'm going to go do my hair, why don't you go check your clothes to see if they need drying?" Dustin tried to calm himself, his heartbeat was like that of a hummingbird. "Okay," he groaned as he felt her pussy warmth spread over his covered shaft. "Good boy," she purred sweetly before kissing his nose, then sliding carefully off of him to her feet and walked slowly, hips gently swaying to the bathroom. It took Dustin several minutes to snap out of the trance he was put in watching her walk out. When he stood he found his cock stood out like a flagpole. He gulped and took a few breaths but he only managed to calm down a little. As he made his way back to the washing room. His clothes were indeed in need of drying so he switched them over and turned the dryer on. He stood there watching them dry, trying to gather more of his composure. His arousal had died down a bit but he could still feel it simmering within him. He felt so stupid for not acting on his emotions and doing something. He felt he had missed his chance but part of him was relieved he had done nothing for fear he would've done something incredibly stupid. He really liked Megeara and he didn't want to mess this up. With a sigh, he went back to the kitchen to wait for his clothes to finish drying. Dustin sat down at the kitchen table and tried not to think. Megeara had left the bathroom door open and he could hear her hair dryer from down the hall. Leaning forward, he closed his eyes and just rested his face in his hands. His body was still tingling from earlier, though it was not as intense. He could feel his anxiety returning as the interview with the police still awaited him. His memory still had not returned and he feared that the police would just laugh if he told them about his dream. It all made him feel very useless and frustrated. Megeara finished her hair some time later and came out of the bathroom to find Dustin sitting in the kitchen. She saw he was hunched over with his hands covering his face. Was he crying? Still naked, she walked over to him and touched his shoulder. "Everything okay, babe?" Dustin felt something touch his shoulder and looked up to see Megeara naked beside him. She had a very concerned look on her face. "Yeah. Sorry. I was just thinking is all," he smiled a little to try and get her to relax. He blushed seeing her breasts so close to him." I still don't know what I'm going to tell the police." Megeara wrapped him in her arms and hugged him tightly. "It's going to be alright love. Don't worry. They're just going to ask some questions. I'll be right here with you, so just tell them what you can. Don't worry if you can't answer everything." She reached up and ran her hand through his hair then leaned in to kiss his cheek. Dustin leaned into her and just let her hold him. Her scent and warmth enveloped him and eased some of his worry. He closed his eyes and just sat there while she held him. Her lips touched his cheek and his anxiety melted away. Closing his eyes he breathed her in. She always seemed to know what to do to cheer him up. Megeara felt him relax but held him a bit longer to just enjoy the tender moment. She rested her head against his, enjoying just been with him. Then after a while, she remembered she was still naked and he was still in his pajamas and the police would probably be there any minute. She gently let go and kissed the top of his head as she stood. "I'm going to go get dressed. Why don't you check your clothes then meet me in the bedroom and we'll get dressed together, alright?" Dustin looked up at her and nodded, "Sure, I just hope the interview won't be too long." His shyness around her seeming to go away the more time he spent with her. He could feel himself being more comfortable and at ease. He got up and started to go to the laundry room when she grabbed his arm and pulled him in for a kiss. "I love you Dustin," she said as she pulled away. "I love you too Megeara," he said surprised at how much easier it was to express his feelings to her. Megeara lit up with joy hearing him say that. Her heart pounded with pure happiness. Her plan was working. "Meet you in the bedroom then love," she said as she swatted his butt and let him go. Dustin jumped as her hand sent a jolt through him but by the time he turned around to reciprocate, she was already down the hall. So, instead he went quickly to the laundry room and checked on his clothes. Finding them dry, he grabbed them and hastily made his way back to her bedroom. He found she had already slipped into some nice white lace panties and was about to pull on a pair of black shorts, so he sat down on the bed, and started to get out of his pajamas. Megeara gently tousled his hair as she watched him slip out of his pajama pants then went to her dresser to find a bra and a shirt that would go with her shorts. Dustin smiled as he pulled on a pair of clean underwear, letting his old ones fall on the floor with his pajama bottoms. He saw Megeara had her back turned so he took a chance and quickly went over, kissed the back of her neck then quickly sat back down on the bed, sliding his jeans on as if nothing had happened. Good, he's learning to tease back, she thought as she winked back over her shoulder at him. Quietly she snapped her bra on then went to her closet to find a short sleeve shirt to wear. She turned her head and saw he had already gotten on a black t shirt and was hoping on one foot trying to get a sock on. She giggled letting him see her playful smirk before blowing him a kiss. Dustin flushed with embarrassment hearing her laugh. She found a white tank top and pulled it from a hanger. Slipping it on, Megeara smoothed it out comfortably then went over to help him with his socks. She leaned down as she pulled the sock over his foot, then placed a kiss on his lips while he lay there looking up at her. Dustin trailed his fingers through her soft silver hair admiring its silky feel, when the doorbell rang. Megeara went wide-eyed. "They're here!" Quickly she grabbed a scrunchee from her nightstand and pulled her hair through it. "I'll get the door. You just go sit in the kitchen," she instructed him then hurried down the hall to the front door. In a panic, Dustin got up and went to the kitchen as fast as he could and sat down. He ran his hands through his hair to smooth it down a bit, just to look semi presentable when Megeara followed by a large man in a tan trench coat and an on-duty officer wearing a black leather jacket over her dark blue uniform. He also noticed she wore dark shades that covered her eyes. Dustin tried to smile and look amiable but he couldn't help feeling nervous and intimidated by the detective. He noticed the man even though aged was built quite solid and was probably very muscular under the white buttoned down shirt he wore. Under My Skin Ch. 08 Megeara smiled and went over to stand at Dustin's side. "Hun, this is Detective Blake from the police department." The large man smiled and gave a courteous nod. "Thank you Miss Rose." He gestured to the female officer behind him. "This is officer Santiago. She will be watching and guarding your house for a few days just to be safe as we discussed on the phone earlier." Megeara nodded, "Of course." She smiled pleasantly at Officer Santiago who just nodded and stood silent behind the detective. "You must be Dustin," Blake said with a wide grin. "You can call me Derrick if you like, I'll just be brief with a few questions then I promise to be out of here." Blake pulled out the chair across from Dustin and sat down. The chair groaned a bit from Blake's weight. "Okay sure. Um, what would you like to know?" Dustin tried to stay calm but his nerves were starting to get the best of him. "Well, first I'd like to ask if you remember anything from when you were found by Miss Rose," Detective Blake asked, reaching into his coat and pulling out a small pad and pen. He pressed in the top and the pen clicked and put its point to the paper. "Well...um not much. I'm afraid. I remember seeing Megeara in the middle of a busy stretch of road. There were cars honking around us." Blake put down everything Dustin said, quietly nodding every now and then. "Alright. Anything before that? Like where you were or who you were with?" Dustin shook his head. "No. I don't think so. I kinda remember going to the store. I was hungry, so I went to get something for dinner. On my way back, someone grabbed me I think... They were sick or something was wrong with their skin." That got Blake's eyebrow to raise. "Oh? Sick? Yellow? Do you remember anything else about this person who attacked you?" Dustin rubbed his temple, trying to think or at the very least jog his memory. Megeara frowned and put a hand onto his shoulder and began gently rubbing him. She could feel him shaking. "No. Nothing else," Dustin replied. "Hmm. Alright. Let me ask, do you have any enemies or did you know the person you were attacked by?" "No. I didn't know them at all. They just jumped me," Dustin looked up to Megeara as he tried to answer. "I don't really know many people in town so I don't have any enemies at all. Or friends. Just Megeara." Megeara smiled warmly at the mention of her name. She gently, squeezed and rubbed his shoulders more to help calm his nerves. The detective wrote down Dustin's answers. "Very good then. Do you live in town? Do you have any roommates or anyone living with you that might wish you harm?" "Yes. I have an apartment not far from here. I live by myself," Dustin answered. He reached up and took Megeara's hand and squeezed it gently. She smiled down and squeezed back. Blake nodded. Officer Santiago just stood there, staring through her shades silently. "Alright then. For your safety I would advise you to stay here with Miss Rose so that officer Santiago can keep watch. That won't be a problem will it?" Dustin shook his head. "Oh No Sir. I don't plan on going anywhere. Unless it's with Megeara of course." "Good," Detective Blake smiled, satisfied with the answer. "Is there anything more you could tell me about what happened while you were kidnapped?" Dustin winced and rubbed the side of his head, trying to think of anything but nothing came. He only drew a blank. "No. I'm sorry. I know this is not helpful, Mr. Blake." The detective held out his hands out in front of Dustin. "It's alright young man but if you do remember anything. Please give me or the police station a call." He pulled a small white business card with his name and number on it out of his coat pocket and slid it across the table. Megeara picked it up and looked at the card then nodded. "Thank you detective. If we do, we will be sure to contact you." "Thank you for allowing me some of your time," he said, rising out of the chair. He gave Dustin a nod then turned to the officer. "Alright, well if you both excuse me, I have work to do. There's still people in town missing that need to be found." He gave them both a smile then turned and started toward the door. "Oh and don't worry, Officer Santiago won't be in your way, but she will be watching from across the street so you'll be safe." Megeara followed behind them both to let them out. The female officer just followed behind the detective in silence. Megeara felt she was being cold but said nothing. She just smiled at the detective as they went outside. "Thank you again for your help, Mister Blake." "Thank you and have a good day," the detective replied before walking back to his car. Megeara watched him from the door as he got in and pulled out of her driveway. She then watched officer Santiago walk across the street and get in the squad car parked by the curb. "Well glad that's over," she said stealing a glance at her still ruined car. She was still waiting on the rental car to get there. Until then she was stuck at home. Megeara closed the door and locked it then went back to Dustin in the kitchen. She found him with his head in his hands, staring down at the table. She went over to him and wrapped her arms around him. "What's wrong sweetie," she whispered into his ear. "Nothing. It's just I'm glad it is over but I don't think I helped much. I feel bad that I wasn't able to give them any clues to help with the other missing people." He leaned his head back against her shoulder and cradled her arm in his. "It's okay sweetie. You did what you could," She kissed the side of his head softly. She felt bad that she didn't have anything more comforting to say but then an idea hit her." Hey, why don't we go back into my room and cuddle for a little bit? I do have something I want to show you." Dustin blinked and turned in his chair to look up at her. "You do? What's that?" Megeara just grabbed his hand and tugged him to his feet. "Come on, I'll show you." She had that wide, mischievous grin on her face that he loved. He let her lead him back down the hall and into her room. Megeara kissed him then sat him on the bed. "Close your eyes," she said as she shut the door behind her. "It's a surprise." ******************************************************* Fabian's consciousness swirled through the black empty void that made up his being. Screams filled the fetid, wretched underground chamber that made up his lair deep in the city sewers. The young woman being held by two of Fabian's ghouls, thrashed in pain as the necromancer's essence flowed into her body. Resist as she might, she truly had no hope of escaping the spell being placed on her. Her eyes were wide with the fear of death as Fabian's spirit soon filled her and snuffed out her soul. The body went limp as Fabian gained complete control of his new host. The former slumping into a pile and slowly disintegrating into ash before his newly claimed eyes. Another ghoul came forth and placed his amulet around his now slender, female neck. This form was not exactly fitting to one such as he, Fabian thought. But for now it would do. "Let me go!" he barked at the two who still had a hold of his arms. The two ghouls obeyed their master and let go, shrinking back into the shadows. Fabian's lips curved into a smile, this new body was young, invigorating and while not strong, would be able to hold his essence longer than the older shells he had previously inhabited. Fabian stood, stretching out his limbs and testing out his new body. The breasts and the feminine parts seemed alien and very strange to him but it mattered not. Sooner or later, this body would in turn be wasted away by the pure, raw darkness of his undead essence. Fabian gathered up his robes from the pile of ashes and slid its hood over his long, dark brown tresses. To Fabian, it mattered not that he looked like a twenty- four year old woman with dark brown hair and painted red nails, it was the power behind that body that mattered. Fabian sneered and settled his new body down into the crude throne his servants had built for him. Small orbs of black flame burned behind his green eyes as he stretched out his senses to all his minions throughout the city. He could feel them, each and every one of them. He could see, feel, and taste everything they did. He could even hone in on one specifically and hear its thoughts and in turn send his own thoughts to that one. It was how he had managed to maintain his slowly growing horde of ghouls. One by one, Fabian tapped into each one of his minions minds to "see" what each had to report. Most of them were simply lying dormant, waiting in the shadows for new commands from him, or feeding off some unlucky unfortunate to have crossed paths with them. These bored Fabian. He needed real information in order to further his plans. Closing his eyes he concentrated and swept his senses to those further out. Then something familiar caught his attention, reeling his consciousness back to one of his minion's mind that glowed with a familiar thought. There Fabian, he saw the face of a young man he recognized. Fabian's smile grew wider as he realized when he had seen that particular face. That young man had been with Aksana! He had seen him through her eyes when he had tried to retake control over her. His attempt had failed but he had learned something in the process. He had felt Aksana's emotions toward this individual. She cared for him! Fabian licked his lips with his new tongue, savoring the thoughts and plans that were coming together. Ever since that failed attempt that day, Aksana had gone beyond his reach. Beyond even his detection. It was if she had disappeared. Fabian's smile turned into a deep scowl and he howled in rage at how she had defeated him. Ghouls all around him scattered into the deeper recesses of the sewers, afraid of the wrath of their master. Fabian needed Aksana in order for him to truly become reborn in this time. Without her body, he would be doomed to stealing these temporary husks forever. No! He could not live that way. Would not! He was a supreme power of darkness and he would have her! Dark cracks began to form around the eyes as his rage grew. Realizing his power was already burning through his newly acquired shell, he forced himself to calm and to dwell on the present. This young man would lead him to Aksana and she would give him what he needed to conquer this world and make it his own. Fabian let out a cacophony of wicked laughter as he sent out instructions to the one minion watching the home where the young man stayed in. Yes, Fabian thought to his servant. Watch him. Watch and follow his every move. To be continued...