1 comments/ 11330 views/ 4 favorites Dream Sequence Ch. 00 By: Marione Prologue: Four Years Ago Are you kidding me? I thought as I looked down. The bottoms of the new Hello Kitty pajama pants my mom got me for Valentine's Day were now caked with leaves and mud. I glared up my snot of a brother — who actually laughed at me. I took my earphones out; rock music would do nothing for me now. "Seriously?" I asked, silently willing him to drop dead into the pile of leaves I'd raked — well, what used to be a pile. Thanks to him, everything's scattered. I'm going to kill him. I bet that's what my dad wants. Why else would he force me to work with such an infuriating little monster? As if to prove my point he started singing into his broom, and danced around the carport. I looked to my older brother (he's supposed to know what to do, right?) for help; I needed to reign the other one in somehow. He just looked at me and smirked. I won't miss him when he goes to college next year. I was on my own, it seemed. I lunged for my little brother, almost tripping over my own rake in the process. "What the fuck —" I swore to myself, but cut off when I saw the devil reincarnate start dancing down the street. "Simon! Really?! Why are you doing this to me?" I groaned. We were supposed to be doing yard work. "Get your ass back here!" I hollered after him, but my screams never registered past his thick skull. He was half-way down the street now; broom in hand, singing to himself like he didn't have a pile of leaves to sweep up. For a twelve-year-old, he looked awfully stupid. "God dammit!" I swore again. He rarely listened, so why would he start now? I dropped my rake and gave chase, my pink and green slip-on Keds slippery from the mud. I dragged him back and shoved him towards the leaves. "Get to work," I growled. He just looked at me and laughed. Apparently, I'm hilarious when I'm furious. I wedged my earphones back into my ear, cranked up the melodies of Circa Survive, and violently re-raked the leaves into a somewhat-orderly pile. I traded my rake for the broom he wasn't using, and swept behind the garbage cans and into every cement crevice. The morons stood there telling "yo momma" jokes back and forth. I don't think they realized that they had the same mother. . . "Idiots," I muttered. I saw my older brother reach for the basketball then, aiming for the hoop that was directly above my head — "Graham, don't!" I dropped my broom and held one hand out to him, —like I could somehow stop him — the other flying towards my head to fend off the oncoming basketball. Sure enough, seconds later I was smacked on the head with a dirty, who-knows-what-covered basketball. It's the little things in life, I thought to myself as I picked up the ball and heaved it back up through the hill of our front yard and into the bushes. Satisfied, I picked up my broom again. They groaned but I ignored them. . . I tried, at least. "Mia," Simon turned to me. I pretended not to hear him, and turned up the volume. "Mia!" He yelled, and then pushed me. "What?!" I yelled back at him. So much for keeping my cool. "You haven't done anything!" He chided through bouts of annoying laughter. He thought he was being funny. Funny. I'm pretty sure my face showed how incredulous I found his accusations . . . and the some. Graham, seeing I was about to burst at the seams, tried to placate me. "He's kidding, Mia. Chill." Oh yeah, great job. "Are you fucking kidding me?" I exploded in an octave higher than usual. The fact that my little brother could get me so angry just made me even more frustrated. "Ooh," Simon mocked in a sing-song voice, "she said the f-word." He went to stand by Graham and leered at me. "Because I'm so fucking frustrated! I can't catch a fucking break around here! I'm going to fucking kill you!" Was that enough times? People seriously overlooked hostility in brother-sister relationships. I felt so misunderstood by everyone it was almost cliché. Of course he just laughed at me, and went on telling those stupid jokes to Graham again. I didn't understand. We used to get along fine. . . I used to think Graham was the most annoying, but now Simon. . . I was really about to shove my broom up his ass if I had to hear one more, 'Yo momma's so big . . .' I leaned against the stone walls of the carport and sighed, drowning in the loud bass that vibrated in my ears. I looked up to the sky; cloudless and blue even though it was only February. It was chilly, but nice enough that I only had pajamas and a sweater on. The thought of pajamas made me scowl again. When my father finally came back home, groceries in hand and all smiles, Simon smiled his own and yelled at me, complaining that I wasn't doing anything. I was beyond pissed off again. "Me?" I stared from him to Graham disbelievingly. "I got every leaf in a pile while you went skipping down the damn street!" I looked the Graham to back me up; we all knew I was telling the truth. "It's true!" I added. Simon scoffed. "S'not." Graham grinned, obviously enjoying my predicament. "It so isn't, Mia. You haven't done anything." My dad just said something that sounded like an 'okay,' then headed upstairs; not believing me. Ouch — betrayal always stings. "I fucking hate you guys," I said, hoping they would hear, but knowing that they wouldn't — they never do. I was just a fifteen year old girl trapped in some lowlife town with two obnoxious, resentful brothers as siblings. I was bound to be hormonal and — according to them — overreact to everything. When I made it back upstairs, I flopped down on the fluffy, white comforter on my bed. Yelling can drain your energy awfully fast, I thought. Lazily, I lifted one hand to turn the music up on my radio, only to have static come on instead. "Fuck it," I muttered. I grudgingly got up and let my legs dangle over the side of my bed. The air changed suddenly, and I knew someone was in my room with me. "Simon, get the fuck out of here." I didn't even turn around to see if it was him, who else could it be? He chuckled. Only it was a lower sound, more . . . masculine. Definitely not the nasally whine I was used to. Unless, of course, the kid in question had a growth spurt in the blessed moments I was away from him . . . As if hearing my biting train of thought, he chuckled again. The hair on the back of my neck stood up, and I slowly placed my hand over it, as if I could will the prickled feeling to go away. I spun around quickly, only to find no one. I sighed; I really needed the lay of the Cheetos . . . someone told me that orange shit does serious things to your head . . . I heard another chuckle and I whipped my head around. "Gah!" My voice was high-pitched and strangled. I scampered away from the intruder, who stood still — grinning at me. I could feel the tears coming. Of all the days, I thought as I opened my mouth to scream. He was gone, though, the second I blinked. "I'm completely crazy, no wonder my brothers hate me," I thought out loud, half-joking, hugging my knees to my chest. "On the contrary, I find your . . . imaginative sanity quite refreshing," a deep voice said to my left. I groaned. "Okay, I've lost it. There is no way someone is actually in here . . ." He sighed, but I refused to look at the figment of my 'imaginative sanity.' "See me or not, but believe what I say." I grunted and closed my eyes. I have some serious problems. He made a noise in the back of his throat. Was that a growl? "You're perfectly fine. Now, listen. The night you go looking; you will see something else. Listen to their pleas ; they will be forever grateful. Abandon them; they shall abandon you." I felt his eyes on me, but I resisted the urge to turn my head. His dark eyes were unnerving. "What's with the riddles?" He snapped his fingers in front of my face. "Did you hear?" I have ears, so yes. . . I'm tired. I thought suddenly, and I lay down on my pillow, not really caring for him anymore. My eyes closed effortlessly, and I heard a soft, lulling noise above the static on my radio. It sounded like he was humming. When I didn't say anything out loud, he reached over to place his hand on my forehead. His hand was cold. The night you go looking; you will see something else. Listen to their pleas; they will be forever grateful. Abandon them; they shall abandon you. It repeated over and over in my head; a broken record. "Now, do you hear?" The words were a whisper, but more clear than anything else that was said. I hear ya, I thought sleepily. The bed never dipped with the absence of his presence, but I knew when he wasn't there anymore. No more Cheetos . . . Dream Sequence Ch. 01 They say dreams tell tale of subconscious desire. If that's true well then my subconscious is already getting way ahead of itself. Then again I'm not much into fate and destiny and suchlike so for all intents and purposes it was just a wet dream. But god damn what a dream, she's standing right in front of me like an apparition, my fear isn't in spite of her presence it's because of it. Her eyes set me ablaze and all at once I'm being baptized in fire. Burn baby burn is what I say, ashes to ashes and all that. I spread my arms wide and for the life of me I can't remember if I spoke or if she just knew but a moment later she was in my arms and whispering the word yes against my lips. The way she drew out the s like a hiss made me wet my panties and her lips sent shocks through my body. I can feel the sweat beading on my skin and I'm burning up leaving the scent of me in the air like incense. The smell of us is thick in the suddenly hot air and even with the sweat rolling between my breasts I'm shivering. My teeth nibble across he bottom lip tugging and my hand slips between our bodies under her shirt across the smooth plane of her belly my nails rake the skin lightly traveling languidly over her ribcage then cupping her breast. The weight of it in my hand is so familiar I feel like I'm holding a memory in my palm. I feel an electric tug in my belly when her nipple tightens against my hand. I'm feeling ferocious as I pull my lips from hers and my hand from her shirt. I push her back slightly to make a space between us. Without warning I rip open the shirt she's wearing. She's naked from the waist up looking like she can't believe I tore her clothes off. I shake my head and shrug my shoulders in one fluid motion as if to say "Girl you knew I would." I'm fumbling with her pants wondering why the hell they seemed to have so many buttons and zippers. Her abdomen tenses and I can tell when I look her in the eye that she's laughing at me. I feel the catch on her pants release and slip my hand into her pants. She's not laughing when I manage to push to fingers into her easily. The sound she makes, makes me moan and then chase the low deep sound with a laugh. I can feel her wetness sliding over my fingers she feels like a ripe sweet juicy fruit. I want to taste the wetness that I'm causing but I move slowly. My strokes are without measure, my aim to tease. I pull my fingers out not done by a long shot; I only wanted to wipe that grin off her face. I work the jeans over her hips kneeling to do so. I look up again she's smug. "That's a perfect position for submission." That's what she tells me I want to roll my eyes but I don't, I don't hold back the laugh in my throat either. "Submission is nothing more than covert control." I tell her this and wonder if she knows what I'm not saying. She's in control. I push back the thoughts, remembering the business at hand. She's standing there in black lycra bikini panties. I push my tongue out and run it over the fabric. I can't see her wetness but I can taste her deep dark heat through the fabric. Just touching her is getting me so close to the edge. I'm still fully dressed but dripping I can feel my own heat and slickness on my inner thighs and my muscles clench and bunch grabbing at nothing as butterflies flit through my stomach. I push her panties aside, I can't or don't notice anything else. My eyes are closed and she's surrounding my lips and fingers. I'm pulling her clit between my lips sucking and pushing my fingers up and in. She's panting and her muscles grip my fingers as I push harder and faster. My name spills from her lips and that's it for me I can feel a whole new thicker sweeter denser wetness spilling from me. Lights flash inside my head like flitting fire flies one after another. I want to concentrate but I can barely remember my own name. But she's saying it for me over and over like a sweet reminder. I grip her thigh and I'm shaking all over, but my attention is back on her as these kick ass little after shocks tingle through me. I'm sweating and my hair is curling up with our humidity, she's screaming when I wake up. I'm tangled in my sweaty sheets dripping and in heat in my little slice of central air heaven. I'm shivering but I know damn well I've never been hotter. Dream Sequence Ch. 01 Chapter One: Swirls I hummed some random lullaby to myself as I stared out my window into the courtyard that was buried under layers of auburn leaves. They coated the grass in abundance, but the warm colors only made the area look more charming. They never made my yard look like that, I thought glumly. The slam of the door opening startled me out of my sullen reverie. I pasted a smile on, mostly genuine, and turned to the intruder. "Hey, Clo," I greeted my roommate. The normally bubbly, outgoing, cheerful Chloe Melendez dragged her feet in and landed on her bed with a thud. "Ut-oh," I said and jumped onto her bed next to her. I petted her shoulder-length blonde hair gently. "What's wrong?" I continued. She groaned, and her actual response was muffled by her yellow comforter. I muffled my own laughter. "What was that, Clo?" "I said," she started after she'd come up for air, "that my family is so bloody annoying. I swear I may just have to kill my sister." I looked down at my friend, we'd become so close since I'd moved across the pond; her light hazel eyes were weary and tinged with annoyance. I placed my hand on her thin arm. "Clo, I doubt they're as bad as mine," I said jokingly, but I was really only half-kidding. "Maybe," she agreed, sitting up cross-legged, "but mine only live and hour away. Yours are on a different continent!" I sighed and scooted closer. "You have a point, but I do miss them . . . on occasion. It's nice that you have people that love you that aren't hours away by plane." When I received my acceptance letter from my number one university, I knew that my parents really didn't want me to go. They didn't understand, they thought England was too far away from New York, and maybe it was. Hey, I needed the space, and it ended up being a great decision. So far, at least. "You have me!" She giggled, then mimicked my sigh and leaned into me. "I know," she said. "But she's just so ridiculously annoying!" I laughed. "What did she do now, hmm?" "I don't even know!" She exclaimed, but I knew where she was coming from. Sometimes they don't just do one thing; it ends up being a bunch of little things that eventually makes you want to tear your hair out while simultaneously shoving bamboo splinters under their nails. "It's okay, I understand." "I know — that's why we're such great friends!" She lifted her head up to mine and smiled. I smiled back at her and she leaned in to kiss my lips quickly. Yeah . . . we were that kind of close. But it was okay, we talked and we knew we were just friends in the end. It was just nice to have someone there for you when you need them. "What are we doing tonight?" She asked and padded to her closet. "Mmm, I don't know." I flopped back onto her bed and rolled onto my back to stare up at the glow-in-the-dark stars Chloe super-glued onto the ceiling. "I was thinking we could maybe go out with Vincent and the guys tonight?" She turned to me with a hopeful look and held up a small black dress in front of her. "You're such a slut," I said jokingly (Vincent was her on-again, off-again guy — I never understood the structure of their relationship), and nodded my approval at the black number. She always asked my opinion. Being a fashion major sort of makes people gravitate to you for that kind of advice. I've basically become the floor's style guru. Going out tonight? Have Mia pick out your outfit. You'll get laid — 100% satisfaction guarantee. Guys: You, too! Step right up. . . She rolled her eyes and me and laughed. "Shut up and get dressed. It's almost seven." I scoffed. "And. . ." Normally we don't even leave before ten. "I'm fucking hungry, okay? We need to go to John's before." "I knew it! You just really like it there because all the waiters are totally hot." "So?" She found nothing wrong with this. I rolled off her bed and padded to my own closet. The dorms here are awesome, I thought as I looked through my trendy clothes. Even though it was only seven, it took us forever to get ready. "We look fabulous!" She jumped in her heels as we posed seductively in the tall mirror and giggled. "Wow, you're not conceited or anything." She did look amazing, though. "Shut up," she swatted my arm with her navy blue clutch. "Did you make that one?" I asked her, looking for a signature Chloe mark . . . "Naw," she replied, but then beamed at me. "I almost forgot! I made you something!" "Aw, babe, you didn't have to do that." I was almost serious, too. No one ever knew what sort of surprise Chloe would have waiting for you. Like the grey plaid shirt-contraption she made me for my birthday last year . . . and made me wear it to a party that night . . . she never told me it was totally see-through . . . "You'll like it," she chided, giving me a knowing look as she bent into her bag to retrieve something. "All right, lemme see." I added a please for good measure. "Ta-da!" She pulled a clutch out from behind her back. "Oh — wow! Clo, it's beautiful!" It really was. It was a chartreuse satin with emerald beading on the front. It matched my dress perfectly. "Babe, I love it!" I gave her tiny smooch, careful not to ruin our makeup. Her smile grew. "I'm glad! You look positively fabulous!" I held it in front of me, posing with my new object. She slid next to me, her poses more dramatic. We had no shame. I knew I shouldn't, but I looked at her in the mirror and instantly felt less fabulous than she told me I was. It was hard not to feel that way when you're standing next to Chloe. Her blond hair was pulled back, but her bangs were straightened and left down to the side. Her black dress was short, barely reaching mid-thigh, but somehow she pulled it off — with black stockings — without looking like a tramp. It was a soft material, almost velvety, and the front consisted of lace that started at her neck and fanned out to her breasts only to stop and dip between them almost to her naval. She made it herself, of course, and it looked absolutely stunning on her. She reached for my shoulder for balance as she placed her delicate feet into two inch, navy blue stiletto pumps — like she needed the extra height. She was already a nice, slim 5' 9". This and her dramatic yet classy makeup made her seem older than her nineteen years. I looked down at my own feet in the mirror, I was wearing three inch black suede pumps similar to hers, yet I still managed to come out short. My dress was an off-emerald, and — according to Clo — clung in all the right places. I know I'm the guru and all, but I have some serious problems when it comes to dressing me. I look like a pear, I thought. I shouldn't have chosen green. God was a little too generous to me in the hips department, but my bust — again with the generosity — evened it out . . . sort of. I scrunched my natural golden-brown curls (absent of the normal streak of bright color) in my hand, and then let them fall back down, almost reaching my shoulders. I don't normally leave my hair down, but Chloe suggested that it made me look more sophisticated since it covered my piercings. Whatever. "Don't," she said, knowing that I was comparing myself to her. "Don't what?" I said, turning to leave, but she grabbed my arm and pulled me back. "Look at yourself, Mimi." She used my nickname, it always sounded so cute coming from her. "You look smashing. You're really tan, and you're eyes look really green," I laughed meekly. Oh, the product of an interracial marriage, I thought, but I said nothing. "C'mon, don't be like this. In a week, it'll be your nineteenth birthday, and maybe you can catch some lucky guy . . . say, is your family coming?" Her train of thought took a sharp turn. That got me to laugh louder. For some bizarre reason, Chloe found my older brother 'insanely hot.' She, like me, swung both ways. "I don't know," I said, and slipped my arm through hers while pulling her though the door. She was gazing longingly at the picture I kept of my family on my desk. I tugged at her again, sighing when I was finally able to close and lock the door behind us. "Mmm," she purred, "I sure hope so. Then maybe I can sink my teeth into that hunk of man —" "Oh, please don't go there." I grimaced. "You may not like it but, babe; I've got my eye on the prize." She grinned at me devilishly as we stepped of the elevator and out into the cool, October night. "You know that his birthday was a couple of days ago?" I questioned casually. She squealed at my withheld information. "What?!" I actually thought she was going to attack me. "No point in fussing now, dear, come on, we're here." We stepped into John's and I smiled at the sight that greeted us. The restaurant-slash-pub was really called Oakley's or something like that . . . but we called it John's because we loved the owner so much. "John!" Chloe called out, waving. She ran over to the forty-something man behind the bar, and I silently followed. John was the most decent person I'd met here besides Chloe. Sure, sometimes his thick accent got in the way of our communication, but he was welcoming to college kids like us, and he had the biggest heart. His five kids, twenty-eight years of marriage, happy staff, and even happier customers were proof enough of that. "Hey, John," I said, sliding into one of the stools. He smiled, his laugh-lines showing, and nodded warmly in my direction. He poured me a ginger-ale and got Chloe one of his outrageous, mixed — virgin — cocktails. "Sure you don't wanna try one, Mia?" He asked; his British accent present as ever, when he finished pouring Chloe's pink concoction into a glass. "Nah," I said, nursing my soda, "fruitiness and I do not mix." "Alright, kiddo." He set down platter with hamburger and fries for the both of us, and wandered off after warning us to be safe. He was like the cool stepdad everyone wishes they had. After I finished my last fry — I chewed slowly, taking comfort in the friendly atmosphere — I checked the time to see that, to my surprise, it was a little after nine. How the hell have we been here for over an hour? I turned to Chloe in order to tell her that we should get going, only to find that she was off in the corner flirting with one of the waiters . . . again. "Chloe!" I hollered in a un-lady-like fashion despite my outfit. "We're leaving — now!" She laughed at something the sandy-haired waiter said, and then sauntered over to me, slipping on her small leather jacket. "So where are we going?" I asked her as we walked down the street to the garage. "Vin and them are at a party and I figured we'd meet them there." She said, and ducked from my stare as she hopped into the passenger seat of my car. "Okay, we can go." She cutely smiled at me. "Who's party?" Her smiled wavered. "Chloe," I said in a warning tone, even as I backed my car out onto the street. "Who's party?" I repeated, even though I already knew the answer — to a certain extent. "Rachel's," she responded quietly. I cursed. I hated parties thrown by girls. They were too structured; there was no real fun: only those stupid fruity drinks and bad music. Maybe Vincent and his friends brought a better party with them? It was definitely another unpleasant surprise to see that there were a lot of people outside Rachel's apartment. I grunted and got out of my car. I told myself that I'd be a good girl tonight because Rachel's apartment was just too fucking far to walk home from. I shivered in my own cropped, leather jacket at a gust of cold air. "Can we go inside, now?" I asked her, already dreading this. "Cheer up!" She said, grabbing my hand. "It's something to do." I checked my watch. It was two in the morning. And I wanted to go home. Where the fuck is Chloe? I couldn't see her among the mass of people. But even better: this party wasn't as girly as I expected. They actually had good drinks (the music was still horrible). "Chloe?" I yelled, but I knew she wouldn't hear me wherever she was. I reached into the clutch she made me, digging for my cell phone. Shit, I left it in the car. I swore under my breath. It was so fucking cold out; I really didn't want to have to go out just to come back in. But as I pushed past people in search of my best friend, I knew I'd have to call her. I could borrow some else's, but as I looked around at all the snooty people gathered — Vincent and his friends had the right idea and fled earlier — I decided that going to get my own was the best idea. She won't even know I'm gone, I promised myself. "Shit!" I swore out loud this time. It was much colder than I'd remembered. I ran as fast as I could in my black three-inch heels to my little, blue sedan. Fucking ridiculous. I shouldn't have worn these shoes . . . I finally teetered up to my car and I pulled open the passenger side door. I searched in the darkness for that tiny, stupid, sliver of a phone, not finding it anywhere. "Huzzah!" I exclaimed as I bent down and reached for the missing object on the floor of the car. How did it get there? I wondered, but didn't really care. It was too cold. I felt a hand on my back, and was about to turn around to give the asshole a piece of my mind, when I abruptly became extremely tired. Weird . . . I thought. Turning around seemed like too much effort, now. The only thing to do is to just take a little nap . . . right here . . . on the seat . . . what is going on? I asked myself as my eyes closed and I slumped into the passenger seat. I heard the car door close and the driver's side open. The weight of the car barely shifted as someone got in, the only signal that clued me in to another person being there was the closing of the door again, and the starting of the car's engine. "Wh —" I started, but the person shushed me. How did they get my keys? "Sleep." A gentle voice commanded. The voice was quiet, yet very powerful. Familiar . . . I found myself slipping under a dark veil of sleep, but I wasn't afraid, the voice took my fear away from me. "Sleep," it said again. I obeyed, and it was the last thing I heard before my mid completely fogged over. These are nice, I sighed inwardly at the feel of sating sheets against my skin. But they're not mine. And I frowned. I opened my eyes into slits and looked around. I really hope this wasn't a one-night-stand sort of thing — then it all cam rushing back. I was confronted with the fact that I had just been kidnapped. I groaned. Fucking fantastic. I opened my eyes a little wider and screamed. I was not expecting to see someone's face so close to mine. The man was leaning over me, just inches away, and he was extremely pale. White as a sheet; I've never seen anything like it. He was also very beautiful — but a very . . . elegant, old timely . . . feminine . . . beauty. It was odd for a kidnapper's face to be so appealing. His skin looked papery almost, but not old; he was wrinkle free. Then he smiled warmly at me and I noticed his incisors were sharp and unfriendly. Too sharp. Creepy. And the way he was openly staring at me was freaking me out. "Who are you?" I said weaker than intended. Way to put up a fight. His voice was whispery and it was so soft that I couldn't understand that words — however the tone sounded familiar again. It made nice background noise though, and I mistakenly saw it as an opportunity to check out my chamber. It had an ancient feel to it, but it looked like it was in good shape. Maybe it was a renovation. I cut a swift glance down and realized that I was not bound like I'd imagined. Who just leaves their victims free? Victim. I'm kidnapped. Fuck. A cold sweat broke out as the words really set in. I scrambled away from the strange . . . creature. He definitely wasn't a man; his elfish, pointed features and pale, alien skin were strange enough, but with his long, straight, black hair (it was longer than mine — then again, everyone's hair almost always is) he seemed even more out of place . . . fictional. I pressed my back against the wall, chest heaving as the thing placed his long, bony, white hands on the bed. He looked like he was about to pounce on me, but he just kept talking, smiling that creepy smile. It soon disappeared, however, when I didn't answer him. But it wasn't my fault, I couldn't hear him. His raised his voice in annoyance, but it didn't do any good. It felt like my ears were stuffed with cotton. Everything was muted. His arms bent, and I thought he was going to crawl on the bed. His large, dark violet eyes were trained on mine — which were widening in fear. He started yelling then, or at least that's what it looked like — it still sounded softer than normal level to me. I tried to push myself closer to the wall, pulling the soft, satin sheets up with me. He grabbed the sheets and ripped them away from me, obviously trying to get my attention. With a start I realized my clothes were gone, so I screamed again. He cringed at the noise, but otherwise seemed unfazed by my lack of attire. He was yelling now, only it seemed calm; as if he knew this was the only way to talk to me. He snapped his fingers in front of my face when I looked away and tried to cover myself up. Excuse me for trying to be decent. His voice still sounded muted though . . . and now that I thought about it more, so did everything else. Everything had that dream-like quality — soft voices, dimmed colors, unclear vision — either that or I'd been drugged . . . He snapped his fingers again and growled. I yelped in response. Even his slightly emaciated body — he probably weighed half of what I do — was scaring me now. My head rolled on my shoulders, and I was suddenly tired again. This made him panic, I guess, because he was suddenly yelling louder. He pulled me closer, shaking my shoulders. I hadn't realized his fingers were so long. They overlapped around my arms — he shook me again. He was yelling in earnest now, and he seemed nervous and desperate for my understanding. I listened closely, willing to do anything to get his freaky face away from mine. His features relaxed when he saw I was listening, but his whispery voice retained its stress. But I still couldn't understand. "That isn't English!" I screamed at him, frightened. "What do you want from me?!" My head was hurting, I just wanted to sleep. His eyes got that frantic look again and he placed a frail hand across my forehead. I was startled by its freezing temperature, and even more so by the voices that assaulted my mind. It was all so confusing. "I don't understand!" I cried. The voices got louder, desperate still. The language wasn't anything I'd ever heard of, though, so I couldn't do anything. I closed my weary eyes, exhausted from this confrontation, hoping that he'll just leave me alone. No such luck, of course. He lifted me with one strong, ashen hand and dragged me to the door I'd never noticed. He was still yelling, and I recognized he was repeating the same phrase after he finished saying something else. I didn't want to leave the room. As much as this man scared me, I wasn't about to leave to go find more of them. I struggled against his iron grasp at no avail, and he pulled me to the other side. There was a long hallway filled with people. They all turned to stare at me, but not at my body. I surmised that they hadn't realized I wasn't wearing clothes — or maybe they didn't care? The thing pulled me down the hall to a railing. He pointed one finger down, but I was afraid to look. My eyes closed to blink and I barely remember how to open them. He put a cold hand and my hair and yanked my head down. Dream Sequence Ch. 01 That woke me up. "Ow! Stop it!" The others that followed seemed bewildered at my words. Maybe they didn't understand me, either? I looked for their faces again, trying to find someone to help me, but all their face were blurred, hazy and swirling, like a dream. I turned back to find the creatures violet eyes burning into mine. I guess I was only supposed to see the important things. He turned my head sharply and I winced, but looked down. It was like a pit. It seemed to be about two stories down. At the bottom were tons of them. Those creatures. They weren't quite like this one, they looked like normal people. But something about them exposed them . . . I just couldn't figure out what — He tapped my head and I looked closer. All of the bodies were twitching. They were all sick. Very, very sick. What the hell am I supposed to do about it? And who keeps their sick in a pit? I figured they must be contagious, but still . . . Where the fuck am I? I took in the sight of them writhing, and my gaze was drawn to one woman in the center who looked so pregnant I was afraid she might burst. She wasn't ill though, I could tell that much by looking at her. I didn't understand. I was just too tired. Through half lidded eyes, I watched as the woman caressed her large, veined belly. The people on the floor moved with her and I realized — with a sense of relief and fear — that they were not sick. Now it looked like some sort of ritual. Am I in a cult? "Listen to me!" I pleaded with the thing who finally released my hair. I looked to him and had to keep looking up. He was very tall. "Listen!" I started again, but he shook his head and yelled back in that strange language. He touched my head and the voices came back with a vengeance. They were ordering me to do something, but I had absolutely no idea what. "I don't know what you want me to do!" No one ever listens to me. "I don't know what you all want!" I was scared, I was cold, I was tired, and I wanted to go home — now. I felt the vein in my forehead throb under pressure. I poked his slight chest with my index finger, and he looked outraged. "Take me home!" I was appalled that I'd started to cry. I couldn't hear anything but my own tears, now. I felt his cool hands on my shoulders and he bent down to me, his face gentler. He said something to me but I didn't catch it. I started to close my eyes for sleep then, and I silently hoped someone would catch me. He placed his frigid hand over my eyes this time as he hauled me back down the hallway. Help us, was all I heard before I was startled awake by someone knocking on my window. My head snapped up and I groaned at the stiffness in my neck. My hand reached out and came in contact with the dashboard of my tiny car. What? I was confused again. I still heard the voices, they still made no sense, but I was back in my car. I looked down to see that I had my clothes, too. My cell phone was in my hand and I had eleven missed calls. I flipped it open: ten from Chloe, the latest from an unknown number. I closed it just as it dinged, telling me I had a new voice-mail. The knocking was sharp against my window again, and I swiveled my head to meet one stressed-out, tired Chloe. I opened to door and she attacked. "Where have you been?!" She screeched after she jumped on me, crushing me in a hug. I felt something warm and wet on my shoulder. She was crying? "I went to get my phone from my car when I couldn't find you around two. I was gonna call and . . ." I couldn't explain it to her. "I guess I fell asleep." I finished lamely. No one would believe me, anyway. "It's almost five in the morning! I was so worried. I called you a bagillion times!" She hugged me closer. "I know, I know. I'm so sorry." I was awake now, refreshed. I just wanted to get home and get the voices out of my head. I shifted over to the driver's side and buckled in. "Seatbelt," I reminded her with a calm I did not feel. She smiled at me through her tears. "OhgoshMimiIwassoworried!" She gushed out in one breath. She leaned over to kiss me and I laughed. "I'm fine, Clo. Really." I wiped her mascara-riddled face with my thumbs and paused. I brought my hand closer to my own face for further inspection. "Strange," I muttered to myself as Chloe put on her seatbelt, absorbed in her own thoughts. There was a black swirl on my thumb. I followed it with my eyes to the palm of my hand and was surprised to see some kind of design on my skin. It didn't look like a tattoo. It looked like it was part of my skin . . . it look embedded there, and that scared me. I scrunched my eyebrows together. "Weird," I said under my breath again. "What's weird?" Chloe asked me, her hazel eyes still slightly worried but curious, too. "Nothing," I told her, and I started up my car. We drove down the block and I made a U-Turn at the end. The hair on the back of my neck stood tall. We were being watched. I looked over at Chloe and I could tell she felt it, too. "You feel that? Who's that?" She whispered; her doe eyes wide and nervous. "More like what," I said under my breath. "I don't know, Clo," I told her. "Weird, huh?" She giggled. "Yeah, we're just being silly." She turned up my stereo's volume and pressed play on the CD I'd put in earlier. ". . . I may be going to hell in a bucket, babe, but at least I'm enjoying the ride. . ." We sang along to the old band, and I was surprised that Chloe knew the words. Enough surprises, already, I thought sarcastically. But it did bring my . . . uhm . . . dream of sorts . . . to my attention again. It didn't make any sense. The more I thought about it, the more I felt eyes on me. I sped my car up, eager to go back home to our dorm. ". . . and it's not like I'm leaving you lonely, 'cause I wouldn't know where to begin. Well I know that you think of me only when the snakes come marching in . ." I sang louder and tried not to think of anything else. But they wouldn't be ignored. The voices got louder, to the point where I had to stop singing in order to concentrate on not swerving off the road. I don't understand you! Screamed in my head, and their loud, whispery voice became even more frantic if that was possible. What are you telling me?! The voices lulled, then rose again only this time speaking together, as one. Their words were muffled, like they were speaking through cloth. Regardless, the foreign language was still a barrier. English, dammit! What do you want from me? I was definitely loosing it. Maybe I should just drop myself off at the insane asylum. I turned up the volume again, trying to get lost in the tunes of Grateful Dead. Chloe looked at me inquisitively, the guitar melody was wobbling the car's small frame, but I just smiled at her. I brought my hand up to my head and massaged it, as if I could physically force the screaming from my mind. "You okay?" She asked me, still worried it seemed. "Fine. Just a little headache." It was true, in a sense. I stepped a little harder than necessary on the gas and the street lamps streaked by at an alarming pace. The eyes still watched me and the voices still called to me. What does everyone want with me? Both of my hands clutched at the steering wheel now, trying even harder to ignore the chorus of pleas that echoed around in my head. It was getting clearer, though, and their message was haunting as I drove us through the dark streets. Help us, help us, helps us, help us. It was a chant, over and over. I could understand them, and they were relentless. I tried to leave them behind with the dark road as it flew away beneath my tires. Dream Sequence Ch. 02 She did it again and I loved it just because she does it so well. She slipped into my subconscious and tiptoed into my dreams. She's got her back to the doorway because she's looking out the window, there's one hell of a snowstorm and she can't quite pull herself away from watching the divinity that is nature. She's in a simple black satin robe and nothing more. Outdide the snow swirls, dancing to the whim of the wind's will, and I know she's probably thinking a million things that I have never even considered. I can appreciate the beauty of nature but as I enter the room the only beauty I can seem to focus on is hers. Walking up behind her I brush my fingertips in an upward motion starting at the base of her neck, moving her hair away so that I can blow my breath across her naked skin. Moving closer I kiss the space that my breath just touched and let my tongue sweep slow circles against her warm flesh. She moans and I can feel myself getting wet for her, I love to know that I'm turning her on. I tug her hair gently before letting it rest swept to one side on her left shoulder. I let my hands rest on her hips for a brief moment on her hips before moving across the expanse of black silk to undo the knotted tie that holds the robe closed. I hesitate for a moment and she moves my hand to undo the robe herself. My lips curve into a smile against her neck because she caught the Less-than -a- second of hesitation. "Don't be hesitant with it." That's all she says, but my body responds as if every syllable was a physical caress. I know it's not the words so much as the expectation behind them. She speaks because she knows I'll listen, and I listen because I want so badly to meet those expectations. My hands trail over her abdomen slowly as I continue to lick, bite, nibble, and kiss her neck. I can feel the slight tremor in her belly as her breathing quickens and again my body responds as if she touched me. Turning her on is pushing me toward the edge. My hands sweep in a gentle upward motion passing her ribcage and resting under her breasts. I cup them for a moment letting my thumbs stroke her nipples, then I'm tugging them. I know she wants more than foreplay and gentle caresses and I want to give her more. I give her neck one last bite and let my hands make one more pass over her smooth skin, and then I step back. For a moment I forget myself and I want to pull her so that she's forced to turn around and face me, I even go so far as to grab her by the arm but she stops me with a question. "Who runs things?" She doesn't raise her voice and she doesn't need to, I drop my hand but fail to answer. Now she does turn to face me hands on her hips, "I said who runs things?" I meet her eyes and tell her what I know to be true "You do." "Good girl" She says to me. I felt as though the bottom dropped out of my stomach, and it must've shown on my face. "You like when I say that to you?" This time I didn't answer because I wasn't sure I could control my voice but I nodded and she smiled. "How much do you like it?" She asks I take her hand and press it between my thighs, I know she can feel exactly how wet I am. "That's how much I like it." "Yeah?" She asks I notice the dip in her voice and again my body responds. "Yeah." I whisper She squeezed my pussy in the palm of her hand and the sensation she evoked in my belly was more erotic than words could ever fully describe. Then her hand was gone, she moved past me dropping letting her robe hit the ground as she walked. I turned to look at her loving the rear view, she turned her head back in my direction and put and put an extra swing in her hips. "Damn." I said under my breath. She sat on the foot of the bed and spread her legs; I dropped to my hands and knees and crawled toward her not taking my eyes off of hers for even a second. When I was between her legs I repositioned myself so that my legs were bent beneath me and my ass was resting on my heels. I ran the tips of my fingers from her ankles to her inner thighs and she moved slightly forward. I could feel the heat of her and I knew we were both about to burn. Letting my slightly parted lips touch her lightly I tasted her, slow wet open mouthed kisses had the both of us breathing quickly and as my lips brushed her clit she moaned. I teased a little more lost in the sounds of her pleasure. My teeth nibbling and pulling at her inner lips tongue strokes that just barely touched her, followed by harder ones that shook her to the core. She moved her hips the gentle thrust ground her wet pussy against my lips and I was done teasing. Spreading her lips I focused all of my attention on her clit. First licking in hard tight circles around it then pulling it between my lips sucking softly as I ran the tip of my tongue over the flesh. Her hands were in my hair pulling me closer. Wanting to take her over the edge I changed my tactics. Without warning I sucked her clit hard whipping and flicked the tip of my tongue over it rapidly. At the same time I pushed two fingers into and stroked hard and fast. Her hips moved faster and she tried to pull me closer gripping my head. I didn't let up even for a second I felt her climax, the tightening of her inner walls and the wetness of her thrilled me. I pulled my hand away and pushed my tongue into her wanting to taste the flavor of her passion. Her hips never stopped moving. She rode my face while I fucked her with my tongue then she ground her pussy against my lips as I returned my attention to her clit. I hadn't touched myself yet but I'd come almost as many times as she had. Pleasing her was immensely pleasing to me. Running my tongue between her lips and across her clit I kept right on moving up her body as I sat higher on my knees and then stood. Untying the robe I shrugged it off and let her appraise me. Her eyes felt like a physical caress moving across my skin. Without a word she pressed her hand between my thighs and parted my inner lips. I was warm wet and slick and open for her. When she pressed a finger into me I had serious doubts as to whether I could remain standing. She saw or felt the tremor in my legs and smiled. She moved to lie across the bed pulling me so that I would follow. I hadn't expected her to be so strong so when she pulled I lost balance and fell on top of her. She rolled us over reversing our positions. "I run shit." She told me with a wink. "I know." She slipped her hand between our bodies and then between my thighs. She was teasing me and stringing me out along the jagged peaks of my own arousal. I was moaning non stop and moving my hips trying to chase her fingers. "Stop." She said And I did I understood that she wanted to control when I climaxed and so I used every ounce of will power I had to keep my hips from thrusting to meet her every stroke. My body was trembling with the effort as well as with intense arousal she evoked in me. When her motions quickened I lost control, my hips moved of their own accord and my pussy clenched around her thrusting fingers, then I screamed. I woke up soaking wet for the second night in a row, this time I was shaking from the very real orgasm I'd just had. "God damn" I whispered to myself as my hand found its way between my sweat slick thighs. Dream Sequence Ch. 02 The beginning is basically a re-cap from a different point of view. Enjoy! :) -M Chapter Two: Seeing Is Believing Tian had never seen a more striking creature in his entire existence... which made his job that much harder. He didn't want to drag her into this; she seemed so innocent, happy, carefree... He heard her curse out her friend as they made their way to an apartment complex. Okay, so maybe not happy—at least, not right now. Still... she would hate him for bringing her into this. Regardless, orders were orders. It had been hours, and he watched her curiously as she tottered on her heels back to her tiny, blue car. Her friend was no where in sight. Fucking ridiculous. I shouldn't have worn these shoes . . . Her thoughts were loud and aggravated. He didn't want to listen into her thoughts, but he was intrigued. He watched her shiver as she fumbled for her keys, and Tian fought the urge to hop down from his perch atop a near building and run over to her just to give her his jacket. As she bent over—he tried to ignore the swelling in the front of his pants from the view—he realized it was a perfect opportunity... He leaped from the edge of the building, dropping seamlessly and soundlessly into the deep shadows. He straightened up and walked out towards her. "Huzzah!" He heard her exclaim from a block away, and sped to her side. He waited by her side for a small moment, indecisive. Tian really didn't want to do this... but the orders of the Elder rang in his ears. He placed one hand gently on her back and forced her to sleep, to dream. He adjusted her in the car and closed the door. Then he slipped to the driver's side and got in. She started to mumble, but he shushed her. She had better start dreaming fast. He pulled away from the curb, intent on bringing her somewhere more comfortable. He didn't realize he was heading to his own home—separate from the rest of his people—until he pulled into his apartment complex's parking garage. He shrugged and parked near the stairs; they were quicker. He got out, glided to her side, and swooped down to pick her up. She hadn't started dreaming yet, but it was only a matter of time. On that thought, he jetted up the stairs—almost too fast to see. The elevator was a snail in comparison. He walked into the hallway casually, as if he wasn't carrying a seemingly unconscious woman in his arms. When he reached his door, he gracefully slipped her into the crook of a single arm and unlocked the door. She mumbled and turned her face towards his chest, fully distracting him for a moment. It was good that he had his apartment's floor plan memorized. His protective streak went on overdrive as he watched her snuggle into him. He had a hard time putting her down on his bed—her fingers clutched at his shirt, and he didn't want to let go of her either. But then she started to dream. And he wanted her to be comfortable... but she wouldn't let go. He was secretly pleased as he laid down behind her, her dreams clear in his mind. "Mia..." he sighed. She burrowed closer to him. He watched as she 'woke up' in her room—granted she didn't know it was her room, yet—and came face to face with Elder Caro. He cringed. Not necessarily the first face you want to see when you wake up. Creepy. She thought. After seeing the Elder's supposedly welcoming smile, Tian agreed. He'd have to remember to tell Elder Caro to work on his facial expressions— Tian watched as Elder Caro yelled at Mia in a language foreign to her. This would not go over well. He could feel her stress, but he could not intervene now. He needed to see what she was dreaming of on her own. —and communication skills. Mia shrieked as Elder Caro dragged her out of the room. Yes, he would definitely remember to give the old man some pointers. This was the part where Tian was made useful. He blurred anyone or anything in her dream that would distract her from getting the message. What was the message? He had no idea. He tried to follow her train of though as she viewed—what she called—the pit. The sickly, the pregnant... none of it made sense. Influencing dreams is a difficult feat. Tian tired quickly, and was relieved when the dream started to fade. He had approximately fifteen minutes before she woke up. He froze her dream in that spot, so when she did awake it wouldn't be suspicious—it would be like nothing ever happened. It wasn't until he was parked—in the same spot as before—near the location of the party did he notice the Mark that started to spiral out of her thumb. It was moving like it had a life of its own. Shit. He'd have to tell the Elder's about this, too. It was all happening way too soon. He watched the Mark swirl to her palm until it stopped. He grumbled and rested his head on the steering wheel. Gathering his thoughts, he leant over the divider and brushed a kiss on her forehead, then her cheek. It was sudden and unexpected, but he couldn't stop from indulging himself in the feel of her soft skin underneath his. He sighed and slipped out of the car, unnoticed, into the darkness again. Then Chloe rapped on the window... ~ I sat on the floor in front of our long mirror, straightening my hair. You'd think that by now I'd realize it's bad for my hair. Chloe walked in with a bang as usual. "Oh!" She squeaked in surprise. "You like?" I asked, turning off the flat press. My hair was straight and shiny... with new green and black streaks. "Oh!" She said again, walking over. She touched my hair cautiously. "It won't snap at you, Clo. And I'm not medusa, so I won't turn you to stone, either." We chuckled. "No... I like it. It's super exciting..." She let her accent hang on the end of her words. "But..." "But..." She bit her lip—a habit she claims to have picked up from me— then rushed her words. "I feel like you're going to say 'you won't like me when I'm angry,' and tear off your shirt." I stared at her. "I mean," she started again, backtracking, "I totally don't mind the taking off of the shirt part..." I stood up and stalked towards her, slowly. "And, uhm..." he voice got higher and higher. "It looks hot on you, babe... you can pull it off... uhm... where can I get some of that?" She sounded like a British chipmunk. And then I laughed, tackling her to my bed. She was on her back, so I straddled her legs. I huffed and pouted. "Aw, it does look very cute." She yanked on my hair to lower me. I didn't budge—instead I crossed my arms across my chest. "Green and gold and black look smashing together. Really." At that I sighed. It did look pretty cool. I grinned devilishly down at her. "How much do you like it?" My hands dropped down to her, traveling along the smooth expanse of her exposed skin, leaving goose bumps in my wake. "A lot," she choked out. "Mm, really?" I bent my head down to her collar bone and kissed it. I felt her leg twitch and I laughed against her skin. "It's sooo sexy..." she croaked out. One of my hands slid the hem of her shirt up, revealing her pink lace bra. The other hand slid suddenly and unexpectedly under the waist of her jeans. She gasped, pushing her lace-covered flesh closer to my mouth as I kissed and licked everywhere but where she wanted me to. "Please," she groaned as I stroked her through her panties. The wet spot there was rapidly increasing in size... "Please what? The Hulk doesn't understand your wimpy pleas." My voice sent vibrations across her chest. She moaned. "T-touch me," she breathed as my lips wrapped around one nipple through her bra. "Where, here?" My free hand stroked her hip-bone with feather-light touches. "N-no! No—touch my pussy. Rub me, please. Oh—please, Mimi." She sounded desperate. "Well, sure thang," I mumbled on her breast. I sat up, looking at her flushed face a smiling. I pulled her zipper down and slid her jeans down her legs, her panties followed. I gazed between her legs, her wetness was clearly visible. She lifted her hips in a silent plea. I scooted back and dove down. Her scent was intoxicating. I slipped one finger in her wet channel, and pumped it in and out. Clo always made fun of my tongue for its unusual long length, but in this instance she can't complain. I set my tongue to work, licking and lapping wherever I was able. I could tell she was on a short fuse today—she was bucking her hips like crazy, her moans got louder too. So I added another finger, and flicked my tongue back and forth across her tiny bundle of nerves. She shrieked and grabbed my hair. She pulled hard—like she wanted to take my newly dyed strands out. Then I slipped in a third finger, in and out. Her leg kicked out spastically. It was hilarious, and my laughter tickled her sensitive skin. After a few minutes of my furious three fingers and her crazy leg kicks, I let one finger travel even further south to her even smaller hole... and with the slightest touch she came all over my hand. I let her rest for a minute, and crawled up her body, one finger already in my mouth. Delicious. "Wanna share?" I asked her. She opened her eyes slightly, still euphoric, and smiled. She opened her mouth and I put one finger on the tip of her tongue. She licked all of her own juices off. "Yum," I giggled. She giggled, too. I rolled off her to lie down on the bed. "I should tease you for your hair more often. You certainly give me plenty of opportunities." She mumbled and combed her lean fingers through my colorful hair. "Shut up, cunt." I laughed and punched her shoulder lightly. We rested for a moment, content. "Showers," I said in a sing-song voice. She grumbled. I hit her with a pillow. "Come on, Clo. This will be the only night for a while in which I'm willing to go out. So let's go!" She sighed. "In that case..." she hopped off the bed and grabbed a towel, "last one in won't get any tonight!" She stuck out her tongue and darted out of the room, her short blonde hair flying. My good mood was contagious. The club was packed. Which seemed weird to me, because it was one of thos hole-in-the-wall places that I wouldn't have expected many people to know about... but, hey, I've been wrong before. It was a good atmosphere, though, I'll give it that. The lights flashed between orange and red—so it was dark, but everything looked so much... sexier. I smiled at Chloe—we were the same height for once. She'd chucked her shoes back at our table. She would. That's Chloe: dancing barefoot at a club. I'm waiting for her to jump up on a table... "You wanna give 'em a show?" Her words were only slightly slurred. Or maybe it was just because it was so fucking loud, I could barely hear myself think. I looked at her. The flashing lights were bright against her pale skin. "Whaddya mean?" She wrapped her arms around me, getting even closer and we danced to the music. She pressed her soft lips to mine with a moan and pulled me closer. My hands traveled down her back. "Didn't you get enough before?" I breathed against her lips, smiling. "Mmm, no." She kissed me again. I heard someone whistle and—after I came up for air—I rolled my eyes. "I'm gonna go get us something else to drink. Stay here," I basically yelled over the bass. She nodded, swinging her hips. The second I moved away, another guy took my spot. Was I really that easily replaceable? I walked up the bar, surprised there weren't more people around it. Then again, they were all grinding up against Clo...I grinned slightly. I checked to make sure no one was looking, and slipped my ID—unfortunately still fake—out from its secret hiding place, a.k.a. my bra. I heard someone laugh, and I whipped my head to the right. "That's an interesting hiding place you've got there." I'd been in England for more than a year, but the accent still made me melt. This one was no different. "Hmm?" There was a deep chuckle. He leaned down so I could hear him better over the loud music. I thought he was sitting on a bar stool, but it turns out he's just really tall. "I said: you've got quite an interesting hiding place." I could've died with embarrassment then. As it was, I could feel a blush spread across my cheeks. I'm sure the red lights didn't help, either. God dammit. I tilted my head down, and then peered up at him through my lashes. "Can I buy you a drink?" He said after a moment and gestured to an empty bar stool. "Sure," I said, though my surprise. It showed, and he laughed lightly again. He sat down, too. I looked up to his face for the first time; I could see him now that I was on the same level, more or less. He was of Asian decent, that much was obvious. His body was lean, but muscular, his face was perfectly sculpted. I watch, my mouth dry, as he shook his head in an attempt to shake his perfect, inky black hair out of his face. His eyes had a defined slant to them, and they were so dark they looked black; a deep, mysterious, sexy (the adjectives could go on and on) pool of darkness. All together... he was just... wow. "Wow? Hey, I'll take it." He laughed and signaled the bar tender. I couldn't speak. Did I really say that out loud? And why am I so socially inept? My blush from before flamed even more—my cheeks were on fire now. I placed on hand over my face, like I could cover my embarrassment. I really didn't think I'd said that out loud! "... and the lady will have..." He looked at me, then the bartender. I hadn't realized... "Guinness, please." "Ah, I wouldn't have pegged you as a Guinness girl... and so polite," he smiled, and a dimple formed in his left cheek. It was too adorable. I shrugged, almost over my embarrassment. "I try." I took small sips as I sat there. I could feel him staring. I opened my mouth to say something— "You know, you're pretty 'wow' yourself." He took a healthy swing from his beer. I cursed my pink cheeks again. "Thanks." I looked down. There was a thick silence for a little bit before I remembered. "Oh! I forgot. Clo—" "The blonde one, yes?" I nodded. Wondering how he knew that... "She's ah... preoccupied... at the moment..." he pointed with his beer in the direction where she was currently sandwiched between the wall and another man. I smiled at her antics. "Would you like to dance?" He got up again. I bit my lip subconsciously, and didn't see his eyes watching the nervous habit. "Mm, alright," I conceded. He flashed a huge, genuine smile at me and led the way. He grabbed my hand as we entered the dance floor, preventing me from getting lost in the see of overly-warm, half-naked bodies. "Cute," he said once we'd found an open spot. "What?" "Your nose piercing—it's adorable." His words drowned in the heavy bass. I scrunched my nose childishly. "Well, thanks." And then we were carried away. I noted that his hands never strayed—regardless of how much I wanted them to—from my waist. It was fun, though. He was a good dancer, much better than me. We danced for a while, lost in the music and the pulsing bodies next to us. Then I decided to pull a Chloe with the next song. It was some crappy remix, but it just screamed sex—I giggled out loud at that. I flipped around so my back was to his front, and let the music flow through me. My hips grinded into him; I practically encouraged his hands to wander... and for once I was grateful for my little extra padding down there. I felt him freeze, so I reached one arm up and draped my hand around his neck. "What's wrong?" I tilted my head so I could see him, but I had to squint in the semi-darkness. I felt him swallow convulsively, and I gave him a tiny kiss on his neck. "Hmm?" I added. He twirled me back around, and I was pressed intimately against his front... and the noticeable bulge in the front of his jeans. I opened my mouth to gasp, but any sound I made was swallowed by his lips pressing on mine. His lips were cool, but they still set my body on fire. I melted into him, and he wrapped his arms around me. His taste was addictive, and I flicked the tip of my tongue persistently at his teeth so I could get more. I didn't notice when the music faded, but I did notice that we were no longer in the club, no longer surrounded by flashing lights, when I opened my eyes. We were sprinting up the stairs in the back. Well, rather, he was carrying me, my legs locked around his waist and my lips still on his, while he darted up the stairs. How was he breathing? Carrying me... "Wait! Put me down! You can't possibly mmf—" His mouth slanted over mine again and silenced me. I heard a door unlock and then we were inside somewhere. Suddenly I was placed down onto a bed. Bed? "Where are we?" I asked between his insistent kisses. "My apartment." His lips sealed onto mine again, our tongues danced hotly together. Then he kissed and licked a path of flames down my jaw, throat, until he reached the v-neck of the dark red dress I was wearing. "How did we get here?" I was completely out of breath, even though I wasn't the one who was sprinting up stairs moments before. Still, I was surprised I could even frame a coherent question. "I live upstairs. No more questions." He licked at the valley between my breasts. I grinned roguishly up at him. I sat up—he was still on my legs, so that limited movement somewhat—and let the straps of my dress fall. He was staring at me with such clear need it made me dizzy just thinking about it. He reached out and touched my neck. "What's this?" His voice was curious but also a little... possessive? He fingered the little love mark on my neck left from— "Chloe," I rolled my eyes. "I tell her not to every time..." I leaned forwards and bit his neck in return. He made some weird noise in the back of his throat. "Chloe? The blonde one?" "Mmm, yeah. She always manages to do that when together." I kissed from the bottom of his neck and across his jaw, which was clenched tight. I put one hand on the beck of his black t-shirt and tugged up. He got the message and lifted it off himself in one, swift movement. I kissed down his chest as far as I could while being held still from the waist-down. "When you say 'together'..." His voice was hoarse. "Sex? Yes." I giggled. He groaned and pushed me down on the bed again, his body covering mine completely. He made fast work of getting rid of my dress. My bra came soon after. He mumbled something into the skin of my breast. "What—oh!" He'd licked his way to my left nipple and sucked it eagerly into his mouth. It sent jolts of pleasure all throughout my body He lifted his head up—I groaned at the loss of his mouth on me. "I said, 'that's so bloody sexy.'" He bent his head back down and licked down to my navel. "Ah—no! I'm ticklish..." I saw a teasing glint in his eye. "No... no, no! Please—" I shrieked as his long fingers made tiny, spider-like movements across my stomach. He stopped after a minute, smiling. I was panting between giggles. "Please, no more." He shifted back up so his face was closer to mine. "I don't think you'll be saying that soon." His voice was husky. I knew that under normal circumstances I would have blushed, but at that moment I couldn't have cared less. I picked up one of his torturous hands and placed it at the band of my silver thong (my bra matched, of course). I curled his fingers around it, waiting for him to do the rest. I watched smooth, black, lust-filled eyes widen, and then he literally tore my panties off of me. I didn't care that I didn't have another pair. I pulled his face down to mine; both of my hands tangled in his silky hair, and pressed my open mouth to his. He responded passionately—literally taking my breath away. Corny, I know. His jeans were scratchy against my bare flesh. I reached one hand down and unbuckled his belt. He broke off our kiss with a gasp and his mouth traveled to my ear. Dream Sequence Ch. 02 "Are you sure?" I'd already unzipped his jeans, and my hand was worming its way inside. He chuckled. "Please," I begged. Then I stopped, frozen. He panicked. "What?" He lifted his head, his dark eyes bored into mine. I blushed furiously, and my hand went to cover my mouth. "I don't even know your name!" My voice was a high-pitched muffled sound from behind my hand, but he understood. He grinned, that single dimple forming, obviously trying not to laugh. He bent down and bit gently at one of the fingers covering my mouth. "All you have to do is ask, Mia." I looked at him uncertainly. I didn't remember telling him my name. He just chuckled lightly again, nipping at another finger. He managed to find his way through them, and now he spoke against my swollen lips. "You can call me Tian." I studied at him again. The name fit. I moaned, all else forgotten, when I felt his hand against my mound. He slipped one finger in. He grunted. "You're so wet," I moaned again as his finger picked up speed. He captured my sharp cry when he added another and started to rub my clit with his thumb in circles. His tongue slid in my mouth, his taste absolutely delicious. It mimicked future actions as it tousled with mine. This time, I ripped my mouth away from his, gasping. "Oh my God—s-shit, I'm going to... oh, oh. Tian, please... m-more." I closed my eyes, my chest heaving. He bit my chin lightly. "Open your eyes, Mia. I want to see them as you come on my fingers." He claimed my mouth again, still looking into my eyes, as he captured my moan. My body felt tingly all over, a pressure built quickly in my lower abdomen. "Jesus," I muttered into his mouth. I felt him smile against me. I felt my leg jerk—a signature Chloe move—as all the tension was removed from my body. I felt high as a kite, there was just too much pleasure for me to handle. I heard a scream and realized with a shock that it was my own. I'd never been much of a screamer. I heard a funny sucking noise, and I opened my eyes. Tian was over me, sucking my juiced off his middle finger. I felt my pussy twitch from just watching him. My lust must've been clear in my eyes as well; he swooped down to kiss me and I tasted myself on my tongue. I felt something pushing at the wetly throbbing entrance. I looked down and realized it was him—er, his manhood. It was long and lean, just like the rest of him. He titled my head up with a finger and kissed me again. I will freely admit: he is a fantastic kisser. He pushed into me slowly, my inner walls clenched super-tight around him. He squeezed his eyes shut and slid all the way to the hilt; our hip bones almost touching. He was so long, I felt so... full. He captured a nipple in his mouth again and I moaned—the sensations were almost too much to handle. At that moment he started to move in me, building a steady, throbbing rhythm. I lifted my hips in time with him, our bodies moving in synchronization. My skin was shiny with perspiration, but I couldn't make myself care. Tian reached one hand down and teased my clit with his cool fingers. My startled gasp turned into moan, which, as he picked up speed, transformed into one constant wail; spiking up an octave momentarily with each thrust. I tilted my head back and raked my fingers down his chest, my nails scraping against his flat nipples. He groaned and kissed me, his steady pumping turned into harder, longer pounds—and I was all for it. He gave me tiny love bites all along my jaw and down my neck. He was still strumming my tiny bundle of nerves when I felt something sharp skim along my neck. I never thought that that type of thing would turn me on, but I literally exploded. My back arched, all my muscles clenched in orgasmic pleasure. My low wail raised in pitch until it cut off completely. I could feel my core trembling with short, aftershocks. Tian groaned and bit down on my neck; I felt something cool and sharp again. His thrusts became fast, needy, jerky, until he came. His groan almost sounded like a growl, but my mind was still a little hazy. He emptied himself into me, and then dropped down on top of me. His weight—his body still cool somehow—was perfect resting on top of me. It only lasted for a second, though. He lifted himself onto his elbows on top of me and looked down. I pouted. I missed the weight of him on me; pressing me down... He chuckled and grinned at me, like he could hear my thoughts. I smiled dreamily up at him in return. He rolled off of me to spoon behind me. I wasn't feelin' the spooning, though, so I turned and snuggled towards him. My body was exhausted. Multiple orgasms always make me tired... He laughed, and I tried not to think about the wonderful vibrations it made. "Do they, now?" NO. I groaned. "I didn't say that out loud. You're hallucinating. What?" Oh, no. I need a filter. He didn't laugh again at my expense, but he did pull me up until my face was level with his on his pillow. His eyes sparkled with unvoiced laughter. "That's quite alright. They wear me out at times, also." He grinned impishly, his dimple forming. I melted inside. I sighed out loud. "Mmm? So then why are we still awake?" I was only half-joking. I leant forwards and bit his chin. He pulled a blanket up and draped it over us, putting his arms around me underneath it. "'Cause I just can't get enough of you, that's why." His lips were soft against mine, gentle. We were not longer rushed. I sighed as we parted, licking my lips. "Okay, okay. But really I-I-I..." I gave a tiny yawn. Gee, how attractive. He smiled. "You remind me of a kitten." I raised an eyebrow, and he did it in return—well, he tried. I laughed at his attempt and he bit my lip. "You never let me finish," he continued, "a cute, adorable, ferocious, strong, independent, creative kitten." I paused, thinking. "Can kittens be independent and creative?" "No idea." I nodded against his skin; my face was buried in the crook of his shoulder. I yawned again, obviously about to conk out— "Wait! Before you sleep," he started. I raised my head out of curiosity, imploring him with my eyes to continue when he paused, unsure. "Well... can I get a good-night kiss?" His mouth twisted to the side, as if expecting rebuff. I grinned. "Haven't you already had so many?" He gave me a lost puppy-dog look. "Alright, alright." I grabbed his face with both of my hands, acting completely serious. "This is the last one, though. Others are not so privileged, so be grateful." "Yes, missus," he vowed solemnly. I pulled his head down to mind, but stopped once my lips just brushed his. I smiled against his mouth, then slanted mine and closed my eyes. He tasted so good, it was ridiculous. I could kiss him forever... "Okay, good-night," he said softly after prying himself away. He saw my eyebrows tilt up. "I just mean... it won't be good-night if we keep going like that, would it?" "Yeah, I guess." I muttered sourly and tucked my head under his again. I hadn't had that much to drink tonight, and I seriously hope I remember this come morning. I didn't heard Tian chuckle at that; my mind had already entered my blessed dreamland. Dream Sequence Ch. 03 Damn it wasn't even supposed to be like this. I mean we were friends, just friends. Good friends, like I'll hold you down through whatever, and be there when you need me type friends. But still here she came to me again tip-toeing from my reality into my dreams. The image of her danced around the edges of my imagination enticing me. She stood in the middle of the room as if she were waiting for me but in truth I had been waiting for her, looking for her and chasing her into the corners of my mind, and still she only showed up as she pleased. She stood there wearing a red tank top and the smallest red boxers I'd ever seen. For a moment all I could do was look. The fullness of her breasts drew my eyes and for a moment all I could focus on was her hard nipples straining the fabric of the top she wore. And then she spoke pulling my eyes to her full lips and beautiful face. Her hair was pulled back allowing me to fully appreciate her bone structure and natural beauty. I was so engrossed in her appearance I couldn't be bothered to listen to the word she spoke. She put her hands on her full hips and narrowed her eyes seeming to sense I wasn't paying the least bit of attention to what she'd said. "Get over here." This time I heard her and though I wanted to want to resist the demand, I also wanted to submit. Not because it was in my nature but because I knew it would please her. Still even in my sleep I couldn't fully let go of my desire to be in control. "Don't make me ask you again." She said. I hadn't thought the first time was a request. I wanted to resist but I wanted to please her more. On my hands and knees I crawled toward her stopping at her feet. She looked at me for a beat almost smiling, as she ran her finger tips through my hair. I was kissing her then, kneeling low enough to start at her feet and work my way her legs and thighs. I moved past the fabric of the shorts she wore to bite gently at he stomach while I ran my hands over her full hips and grabbed her ass, pulling her closer to me. I kept on kissing my way up her body touching my lips to every inch of skin that wasn't covered by clothes. I was standing by the time I reached her lips, pausing for a moment I looked into her eyes and waited. She touched her mouth to mine, and touched the tip of her tongue to my lips. I opened to her falling into the sweetness of her mouth, my hands were tracing a path up and down her back and then pausing to cup her ass cheeks and pull her closer as I pressed my leg between my thighs. I could feel the heat of her wetness through the thin fabric of her shorts. She moved her hips working a fierce rhythm against my leg while I kissed her. Pulling away from her for a moment I pulled the hem of her shirt up working the garment over her head and tossed it to the floor. I licked my finger tips wetting them, before my lips found hers again as I cupped her breasts and pulled at her hard dark nipples, twisting them gently between my wet fingers. She was moaning into my lips and riding my thigh harder and I still wanted more. Lowering her to the ground I took my time kissing her lips and moving down to her neck, biting and sucking gently, tasting a hint of salt in the sheen of sweat that covered her smooth brown skin. She was moaning for me when I ran my tongue over the swell of her left breast then flicked her nipple with the tip of my tongue, before sucking it between my lips. She arched her back and grabbed my head as I moved from on breast to the other. Slipping my hand between us I grabbed her pussy, cupping her wetness in my hand. I could feel her lips swollen and wet through the shorts she wore. I squeezed her sex in my hand as I continued to tease her breasts. I was moving lower and lower, I wanted to taste her, feel the heat of her wetness covering my lips and smell her scent filling the air. I was kneeling for the second time that night. Between her thighs running my hands over her legs and watching her. She had her eyes almost closed and her lips slightly parted, panting for me. I lowered my head and bit gently at the fabric covering her swollen pussy. I could taste her flavor soaking the cloth. I pressed the fabric of her shorts between her lips and wiggled my tongue teasing her. Her shorts were soaked, as I used my lips and tongue to add wetness to wetness. Pulling her shorts off I spread her thighs wider and gripped her ass in my hands as I guided her wet open pussy to my open mouth. I lost myself in the scent and taste of her. She had her hands in my head holding me in place and riding my face, wetting my lips cheeks and chin with her. Moving just a little lower I dipped my tongue into her tight asshole. Spreading her cheeks I let the wetness from her pussy run down the crack of her ass and settle in the place I was sticking my tongue. She ground against me harder riding my face while I licked her most intimate places. Flicking my tongue out I teased the tip of her clit making her hips jerk. She was moaning louder and grinding harder against me when I sucked the hard pearl of flesh between my lips. I was sucking and licking and she was saying my name over and over again. I could feel her trembling in my hands and under my lips as I took her over the edge. She was coming when I pressed my fingers into her hot wet pussy. Her inner walls gripped me as I continued to suck on her clit. I took her with my lips and hands until both of us were exhausted. I didn't even need her to touch me. I was already soaking wet and satisfied just pleasing her. Not needing her touch didn't mean she wasn't more than willing to give it to me. Before I could catch my breath her lips were on mine, her tongue flicking out to lick the taste of her away. Her fingers were in my panties pressing into me, I was wet open and ready for her. First one then two and finally three. She filled me up stretching my inner walls making me work my hips and chase her probing digits. Her palm hit my clit every time she stroked in making me moan her name and damn near forget my own. We managed to work the t shirt I was wearing over my head without her even missing a stroke then her lips were on my nipples. I was moaning louder as she licked, bit and sucked them. She took me over the edge just like that, but she wasn't done with me quite yet. She rose kissing me on the lips with a wet smacking sound then disappearing from the room for just a moment. When she came back I saw that she was carrying a long thick toy. It was a dildo with two heads and textured veins running over its ebony surface. I watched as she lay down in front of me and worked one end into her pussy. I could see wetness leaking from within her and I could see how the toy was stretching her ope and filling her up. She had only worked it in a little bit before she pulled the shaft out leaving the head at the pink entrance of her pussy. She pushed the toy in again working in just a little more. She kept her actions steady until she had managed to slide almost half of the thick black cock inside of her I couldn't have looked away from her little disappearing act if my life depended on it. I wanted more than anything to know what would happen next, but the alarm sounded leaving me wet and wanting. Dream Sequence Ch. 03 Chapter Three: A Little Snack When I woke up it was dark, and I was disoriented. I reached out, blindly groping the air as I swung my legs out to dangle off the edge of the bed. I got up and stepped to my right a little, my arm lengthening automatically to take my robe off the hook on my closet door. But instead, my hand came away empty. "Hmm," I muttered quietly. I didn't want to wake Chloe, but where was my robe? Chloe... "Oh!" I exhaled loudly, and then inhaled in an unfortunately dramatic manner when I realized why I couldn't find my robe. And why I didn't hear Chloe's light, yet adorable, feminine snores. "Oh." I said this quietly, and I turned slowly around. "Gah!" I shrieked, still in whispers, as I backpedaled from the view I was presented with. Along with this came a flood of memories from last night that made me flush hotly. I could feel the heat simmer below the skin of my cheeks. I slapped a hand to my forehead and closed my eyes. I've never done this before... I mean... is there one-night-stand protocol I should be following? "Are you alright?" Tian's voice was exactly as I remembered: smooth, lyrical, and intoxicating. I said nothing, though, for I knew my voice would be hoarse with sleep and embarrassment. I cracked one eye open and he was sitting up, cross-legged, on his bed. That was all I could see, though. It was still too dark. What time is it? I opened both eyes now, intent upon finding a clock somewhere, when he was suddenly in front of me. I was dazed. "How did you just..." I couldn't even complete my sentence. Besides, I was probably hallucinating—wouldn't want him to think I'm totally crazy or anything. He grabbed my face between his two cool hands and brushed his lips lightly against mine. Regardless of his obviously chaste intentions, my body still smoldered. I was glad it was so dark; he couldn't see my body flush with desire, or see the slickness that gathered mysteriously-quick between my thighs. But, as he pressed his mouth to mine again—more passionate this time—and smiled against my lips, I wondered if maybe he could. He pushed me back to the bed until I fell down on my back. "So what's the matter, love?" His accent, thicker with sleep I suppose, made my insides feel all fluttery. "Mm, nothing..." I left out how awkward I felt right then, his body pressed on mine in the utter darkness. Speaking of which, "Why is it so dark in here?" I murmured as he kissed my lips, then my cheeks, then my jaw, my throat... "I like the dark," he answered, nipping at the skin right above my breast. I surprised to find that I was sensitive there. Very. "Don't you?" He added after a moment of torment. I gasped as he bit down harder then soothed it with his icy tongue. He's so cold... I mulled over his question once his tongue moved to another spot. "Yes, actually. Very much... The aura of darkness... is... appealing yet frightening at the same time..." I was confused by my own wording. I blushed again, thinking about how ridiculous I must've sounded to him. "It's..." "Arousing?" Tian filled in for me, as he filled me in other ways at the same time. "Y-yes," I managed to choke out. "Yes, oh... yes," I breathed. Then there were no more words as he slid his long heat in and out of me. There were only the sounds of my heavy breaths, his quiet ones, and out flesh coming together. He ran his hands from my hips up to my breasts, molding his hand to my voluptuous curves. He made my nerves tingle; I was drowning in lust. I didn't have to tell him I wanted more, he seemed to understand. He lifted my legs above his shoulders and slid ever deeper. We both moaned, and then I sighed into his mouth when he kissed me. His tongue pressed so erotically against mine that it rivaled the delicious friction occurring down below. Both sensations made my body hum until I was on the verge of glowing satisfaction. My climax was drawn out by his fast, needy poundings until he found release inside of me. I cooed when his gloriously cool body settled down on mine; I hugged him too me, and I felt more than heard him smother his chuckle. "Why are you always so delectably chilled?" I sighed into his neck when he rolled us over. The half of my body that rested on him was beginning to feel a slight chill. Quicker than I imagined, he had me wrapped in the bed sheet then draped back over his lean form. "I will explain to you some day, Mia," he said finally, pulling me a close as the barrier between us would allow. I could feel dawn breaking outside, peaking through the curtains, and I realized that it had become lighter in here. I leaned up to peer down at him. He cocked his head to the side quizzically, and I bit my lip in thought. He tugged on my lower lip with his teeth until I dropped my head down to his. My lips were inflamed by now thanks to his insistent kisses. "What is it?" He asked quietly, my head now resting on his smooth, marble chest. My mind was sleepy again, and I couldn't recall what I meant to ask. Instead: "What time is it?" "A little after five," he responded. "Hmm." "What?" "Nothing." My lips brushed his chest and I couldn't resist one tiny taste. I flicked the tip of my tongue out and gave him a tiny lick. I sighed audibly; he tasted delicious. Then I giggled. "Alright, what is it?" He sounded amused, but tense, and I couldn't help but wonder if maybe it was in reaction to me... a girl could only hope... "You're scrumptious," I replied, my sleep-fogged brain not really registering what I was saying. A minute later I giggled tiredly again. "Breakfast in bed," I sighed. "Wonderful." ~ When I woke up again later, I knew where I was. I relished in Tian's smooth, cool body pressed up against my back. One of his arms was draped over my waist, and I felt him softly tracing the creases of my palm. Then I realized it wasn't the creases he was tracing. I rolled so I was facing him, and saw that he looked unhappy. "What's up?" I asked lightly. He frowned again, the lines deeper this time, and then sighed. "It's nothing you need to concern yourself with now." I raised one brow. He left my hand alone on the mattress, and it felt abandoned. His hand came up and brushed my crazy, untamed hair off my face. "Good-morning," he whispered, smiling. "Good-morning to you, too," I replied absently. I looked at his eyes, but found that they still didn't seem as happy as the rest of him. "Really," I asked again, pulling the sheet around me so I could sit up next to him, "what's wrong?" His smile was sad now. "I give you credit, Mia. You're too observant for your own good." We stared at each other for a moment. Then I asked, "You know what's happening to me, don't you?" As soon as I asked, I wished I hadn't. His smiled slid clean off his gorgeous face, and the atmosphere darkened. "Mia, Mia," he sighed again, and sat up. Then he paused. "Later, alright?" I nodded, and leaned into him. He held onto me until we were disrupted by an insistent chirping noise. It was bugging the hell out of me. "Ew," I said in realization after a minute of the bird-like noise. "It's my phone... Could you..." I trailed of, only to realize he wasn't there. He was back a moment later, carrying the offensive object. I thanked him, smiling—trying, and failing, to ignore his lack of attire—and then took it. That little dinging noise went off—the one that meant I had a new voice mail message. It was Chloe. Of course... I pressed in the numbers for my voicemail and waited. I looked up, but he wasn't there again. He sure has a knack for disappearing... "I'm in the kitchen," I heard him call softly from somewhere down the hall. I repeated aloud the robotic voice as it came from the phone: "You have one. New. Message... First. New. Message..." It always sounded like it was malfunctioning... Hey, babe—it's me. Hope you had a fun time last night... didn't get a chance to say goodnight... thanks to that bloke who whisked you away, yeah? Well, I'm on my way back to the flat now—she giggled, and I could hear deeper, male, laughter in the background—just call me when you get this so I don't have to go all crazy with the cops again... I laughed. Right, right. Talk to see you later, then? And she said goodbye and hung up. I let my phone fall into my lap, and rubbed my thumbs against my temples. How was I going to tell Chloe that I was still out...? Then cool fingers took over for me until I sighed, relaxed. "Come," he said. "I'll make you breakfast" I watched him walk away, slightly disappointed he'd put clothes on. Guess that means I'm supposed to, too... However, to my utmost dismay, I couldn't find my clothes anywhere—which left me with few options. I walked into his kitchen, my sleepy feet dragging slowly on the tile, and had the joy of seeing his heating expression before he turned his back to me. "My clothes look better on you than they do on me," he said over the sizzle of pan. I scoffed at the lame line, but I could feel a blush rise to my cheeks all the same. I walked towards him wearing a slightly-wrinkled dress-shirt that I found hanging over a chair, and peeked over his shoulder. "Whatchya cookin'?" I asked. It smelled delicious... "Scrambled eggs," he supplied. "Want some, love?" He scraped them onto a plate and handed them to me with a fork. I ate them embarrassingly quick—I'd never been one for eggs, but these were simply mouthwatering. I moaned, and he quirked and eyebrow. I shrugged. "So good." I said between bites. "What's in these anyway?" I stood, my hip resting against the counter, watching him poor himself something to drink. Tomato juice? Ew. My reaction must've shown, because he chuckled, then downed the entire glass in one go. I whistled. "Impressive," I told him jokingly as I washed my plate in the sink. As I did so, I realized how... domestic... it seemed. I mean, I was wearing his clothes, eating his food, doing the dishes... "Yours are folded on the chair, by the way." He said distractedly. I dried my hands then looked up at him. He was standing too close for comfort; and I'm not really a morning person. I took a miniscule step back, and if he noticed it didn't show. "My... what?" "Clothes, love. They're on the chair," he gestured to somewhere out of the kitchen. I ducked my face, the flames of rejection making my face tingle with heat. I guess this meant he wanted me to leave. I made for a dash towards the open doorway, but he grabbed my arm lightly. "Where are you off to so quickly?" He murmured into my hair from behind me. His hands slowly wrapped around my middle, bunching up his shirt I was wearing. "Well... I figured I-I should get going..." He was making my getaway seem like a horrible idea; I became less and less eager to leave as his mouth skimmed the back of my neck. And I was completely distracted. "Now, now," he tsked. "I think we should freshen up a little before I see you off, yeah?" I nodded lazily. He laughed into my skin, and pushed my forwards, walking me towards the bathroom. It was notable; minimalistic but homely at the same time. He let his arms drop from around me, and went to turn on the water of the shower. "Come here," he said, taking off the clothes I assumed he'd just recently put on. Confused, I walked towards him. He started unbuttoning the dress-shirt I was wearing when I understood. "Oh, uhm. I-I don't think th-that this is such a good idea..." "And why's that?" He continued slipped the buttons through their holes, agonizingly slow. "Well, I mean. I just... I don't really..." I didn't know what I wanted to say. I was nervous and anxious and— "God, you're so gorgeous," he said, pushing the shirt off my shoulders. My shoulders hunched a little. It was okay before, because it was dark. But now, under the fluorescent bathroom light, I felt extraordinarily self-conscious. As if he could see my inner turmoil, he stepped closer a rested his head on top of mine, letting me curl into him. I didn't realize he'd pushed us into the shower until I felt the warm spray against my tense back. My head shot up, then down, then back up again. When had he taken off his pants? He grinned down roguishly at me when I looked to his face. Not that I'm not grateful or anything, I continued to think, feeling his hot length pressed up against my stomach. I sighed, and turned around. I reached for the shampoo. "Wanna wash my hair?" I grinned teasingly back at him as he took the bottle out of my hands. I hope my dye can stand this, I thought as his long fingers lathered the shampoo in my hair. "Oh..." I purred contently while his fingers massaged my scalp. He chuckled. "Why is it that women like to have their hair washed?" It was rhetorical, I knew, but I couldn't resist adding a tiny bit of useless information. "It's because... when we're aroused our—" It was hard for me to string a coherent thought together, let alone a sentence. The pads of his talented fingers were now massaging the nape of neck, having abandoned my short, colorful locks. "Hm?" He prodded. I tried again. "When we're aroused... nerve endings are more sensitive. And a person's scalp is chock-full of 'em. 'S not just women th-though." I moaned at the end of my sentence as he continued playing with my hair—rinsing it this time. He gently washed away any remaining shampoo, then combed conditioner through my hair. "Fascinating," he replied finally, "even more so because of the fact that you know this." He chuckled easily, teasingly. I ignored that. "Why do you have conditioner?" I asked instead, curious. "I thought men didn't use conditioner." "I don't normally. My hair is just naturally soft and silky," he joked. I smiled. "Regardless, I'm glad you still have it around..." I'd turned around, and was momentarily, blatantly sidetracked by Tian standing in front of me, water traveling down his torso... all the way down... Beautiful. The word immediately came to mind, and I was inwardly embarrassed. But still... I didn't let my gaze travel farther down than his trim hips, because my embarrassment would be complete. Instead, I watched water drip down his muscled-yet-sinewy arms and stomach. I looked up at his face: his perfect, full lips, his elegant nose... the regal slope of his cheekbones... his shoulder-length black hair, matted to his head a little from the water. His eyes, heavy-lidded and watching me, turned darker—if that was possible—and I could feel wetness other than what was streaming from the showerhead start to trickle down my inner-thigh. And then I was pinned to the cool tile, Tian pressed intimately close to me from between the part of my legs. Then, suddenly, he was sliding into me, no foreplay needed. "Nnnng," he groaned in the back of his throat. I watched him swallow convulsively for a moment, while I reveled in the feel of him throbbing inside of me. My legs wrapped around his waist, my back braced against the tile, I leaned forwards and bit his neck lightly. "I'm so wet for you," I whispered. He shivered, and began steady, hot strokes in and out of my willing body. I moaned, silently urging him to do... more. He held my legs to thrust deeper into me and I gasped at the new sensation. He put one arm under me as support while he continued the deep movements. His other hand traveled from the generous swell of my breasts capped with stiff peaks, rising and falling dramatically with each breath I took, and down my sides, over my soft curves. He brushed his fingers lightly over my pliable stomach and I could feel my insides clench around him. His cool hand cupped my hot mound around his pumping cock, and he rubbed my clit with his palm. I moaned almost obscenely before it was cut off by his lips on mine. I trembled, clutching at his shoulders as my orgasm rolled through my body. His mouth left mine of hover over my neck. I felt his cool breath there and I whimpered. "Bite me," I whispered heatedly into his ear. Why I said it? I have no idea, but I knew that's what we both wanted. He was still surging in and out of me. "Are you sure?" I could tell by to strangled sound of his velvet-voice that he had to restrain a groan. "Baby, please. Do it," I urged. Baby? What the hell? I spurred him on with my heels, and he—miraculously—managed to get even deeper. "Oh G-God." I felt something cold skim my neck and it brought on another round of tingling sensations, signaling another approaching climax. "Please, Tian. Please," I whimpered. He stiffened, and I felt his cool lips against my neck. There was a sharp, cold sting, and then the most euphoric feeling in the world washed over me. I clenched spastically at his manhood while this erotic utopia washed over me. My high was sweet and thrilling, and I completely forgot that I was still pressed against a shower wall. When the waves of ecstasy ebbed, I felt ludicrously exhausted. The kind of exhaustion that comes after running a marathon—not that I would really know—and not after sex, even if it was fantastic. "Oh no, Mia no." I heard him after a moment. "No, no, no, Mia..." He moaned. He sounded... sad? I felt the water stop, but I didn't open my eyes. His regret-filled exclamations and callings of my name were the last things I heard as I rested my head against his shoulder and let sleep take me. I was in a hospital. I could hear the beep of the heart monitor and the whir of machinery around me. I opened my eyes slowly, squinting at the bright light overhead. I looked around, and my suspicions were confirmed. I was lying on a small cot in an even smaller light-blue room. I listened to the steady, soothing sound of my heart. However, when I looked down to myself, I saw that I wasn't attached. There were no wires, or casts, or... anything that would indicate I was supposed to be at the hospital aside from the paper gown I was wearing. So if the heart beat wasn't mine—I looked cautiously at the heart monitor that had its own heartbeat—and I wasn't hooked up to anything, and I felt fine... then... Why am I here? I sat up, not feeling stiff in the slightest, and slid off of the bed. I re-made the sheets, too... you know, just in case... I don't know. I opened the door outwards to find what looked like an ordinary hospital. Don't worry; it wasn't one of those eerie, empty, horror-movie hospitals. It was buzzing with people and emergencies. So much so, that at first I didn't notice other people didn't notice me. I just figured that everyone was busy. But as I walked down the hall, people moving mindlessly around me, I realized that no one actually knew I was there. Which meant I was dreaming again? Great. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly; a childish attempt to have me wake up when they opened. No success. My feet walked down the hallway on their own accord. I went with it—I didn't want anyone yelling at me again. I made a sharp right, traveling down a hall where I heard muffled sounds—cries? Ah, the Maternity Ward. I kept walking, passing squalling newborns, until I reached one of the last rooms. Someone darted out just as I reached for the handle. They were too fast to see, but I took advantage of the already-open door and stepped inside. In my mind, I was replaying the last dream like this that I had. I pictured that creepy man-thing, with the long, black hair, papery skin, big eyes and sharp teeth. Then I imagined the pregnant woman again: veined stomach, wild, unruly hair... because when I looked up again to the bed, I saw she was right in front of me. She was no longer pregnant, the skin around her stomach was looser, but she still looked like she was in severe pain. No one else was in the room—aside from the visitor that just vanished. Her large, slanted eyes were a lively emerald color, set in a sweaty, pained, heart-shaped face, surrounded by a mass of silky-black curls. Those eyes were focused on something to the right of her bed. I walked over, to her left side, and then glanced up to see what she was looking at. Dream Sequence Ch. 03 A bassinet, empty and lonely, waited in the corner. The name on the label was crossed out. Her gaze was so riveting upon it that I was surprised when it didn't just up and come to her. Then she looked at me. Not looked in my direction, but actually looked at me. "My baby," she cooed. "He took my baby," she finished sadly. I stared. "My baby!" She wailed in a higher pitch. "He took my baby away from me!" She yowled; her wide, green eyes had gone hard and cold. I flinched, but was otherwise frozen. She cradled herself in her arms and began to sob. I was at a loss for what to do. "My baby, my baby, my baby..." she kept crying. Then she snapped her head up at me, tears trailing down her cheeks. I stepped closer, and saw blue veins had started to crawl across her face and down her arms. What was going on? She said something in a different language, but it was clear she was pleading for something. I started to back away, slowly, but she started to scream—a tear-your-hair-out scream. She yelled something in some funny language at me, and started weeping. Her large, dramatic sobs wracked her tiny frame. "My baby, my baby..." she cried desperately. I took a step forwards again. "Your baby?" I asked. She sat up, shocked. "You have my baby?" I shook my head quickly and she dissolved into tears again. "I..." I didn't want to make any promises. "Who took your baby?" "HE DID! He took him! He took him away from me!" "Who's he?" I asked, trying to placate her. "He took me baby away..." She said softly, sadly. I sighed, desperate to either help or flee. But she wasn't making it easy. "I can't help you if you don't tell me," I said. "Help me? Oh, oh yes. Help please! Help me, help, help, help me," she crooned. I nodded. "Who took your baby?" I asked again. She opened her mouth to answered, but it looked like she was choking on the answer. "I can't tell you," she said, almost mockingly. She smiled, and dark scrolls appeared where her veins once stood out. They swirled around on her skin before settling into a pattern. Her irises went black, and she smiled again. "Nope. No can do," she said in a trilling, sing-song voice. "What's your baby's name?" At the word baby, her eyes turned green again and tears leaked out of her eyes. She looked at me desperately. Help me, she said in my mind. Help us, help me, help him, help him, she pleaded over and over and over. Then it stopped, and the black swam back into in her irises malevolently. She cackled, showing horrifyingly pointed teeth, but not before I heard her whisper something. I fled. I ran out of the room, out of the Maternity Wing, out of the hospital, until I was in the little grassy area outside. I stood next to a bench, nearly as out of breath as the elderly woman sitting on it. Thankfully no one could see me again, and I reflected, trying to decipher what she said. I stood there while the clouds opened up and the rain came down and soaked my hospital gown. The rain curled my hair around my ears and neck, and dripped from my freezing fingers onto the dirty ground. I watched in fascination as the black squiggly swirls on my left hand spiraled outwards. I brought my hand up to my face and watched them move under my skin. They spread and grew until they reached my wrist, where they wiggled once more then stopped all together. I brought my right hand up and touched the black lines, expecting them to come alive like snakes, but I couldn't feel them. It just felt like skin to me. I stood there, under clouds and rain, while everyone went inside. While babies were born, and while I unknowingly cried for the babies that were taken away; I stood there, chilled to the bone, until I could remember. And then I remembered what she said—the sad mother with the green eyes—before the black eyes swirled in and took over again. He took my little Tian. Tian... my baby, my baby... I shook where I stood. And then the black swirled in again. * Sorry—it's not as long as I'd hoped. Thanks for reading anyway! :) And I apologize for any typos, I know they're a tad distracting. Check my Bio for more updates. xo ~ M Dream Sequence Ch. 04 Chapter Four: A History Lesson I stood by the window, looking down at the courtyard. Frost-bitten leaves compact against the earth. I thought about how I woke up this morning—er, afternoon. The first thing I'd done was look down at my hand which, sure enough, had more inky-black spirals. I'd been back in my own bed, in my own dorm. Chloe had been creepily sitting at the edge of my bed, waiting. "What?" I'd asked groggily, uncurling my body and sitting up. I recalled feeling a little felt woozy. She'd grinned. "Prince charming dropped you off before. You were dead asleep—a little too much vigorous activity, yeah?" She wiggled her eyebrows. I'd scoffed and stretched. Instead of feeling stiff I'd felt completely relaxed. "What time?" I had asked, distracting her. "Hm, maybe a little over two hours ago." I'd slept for two hours? Why was I so tired? Just as the thought had entered my head, I'd found the reason. I had only just managed to stop myself from running my hand over my neck. Instead, to distract myself this time: "Did he say anything before he left?" There was a brief silence, and then she'd giggled. I'd raised my eyebrows. "Well, he said not to wake you up—that you needed your rest—" she'd giggled again before continuing, "and then he told me to give you this…" She'd handed me a folded piece of parchment. "So… are you gonna go?" She'd asked, before I'd even read the note. I remembering rolling my eyes then read: If it would please you, meet me in your courtyard—I am sure you have a few questions. You'll know when to come. I apologize for my cryptic discretion, but, should this fall into the wrong hands—though I hold the upmost faith in your room-mate—I cannot risk exposure. My regrets for leaving you as well, however there are happenings that require my attention. Until then, And then he signed his name in the same elegant script. I had stared at it, unsure. No time? Or even a date for that matter? And he was so… formal… what— "So?" She'd asked again, impatient. Chloe had apparently overlooked the fact that she wanted to send her friend to meet someone who "cannot risk exposure." No wonder he held faith in her. "Well, there's no time on here," I'd voiced my worries out loud. "Yes, but you can just see when he gets here. Just look out the window." "I assume that's what you've been doing all of this time," I'd noted wryly. She hadn't denied the fact. "Shouldn't you be the one telling me that he won't come?" I'd asked her; Chloe knew how these things worked. "Yeah," she'd supplied. "But I don't want to loose hope with this one. He's just so…" she'd paused, "yummy." I had laughed outright. "What happened to your guy then, hm?" She'd sighed. I hadn't been able to tell whether it was a happy sigh or if she was just being dramatic. So, to clear up any confusion I'd had, she had proceeded to fill me in on what I'd missed that night. I'd gotten dressed at the same time, nodding at the right parts, contributing when it seemed necessary; but my thoughts had been otherwise consumed by the mystery that was Tian. A hot mystery, my mind had automatically corrected. I'd had to turn my head so Chloe couldn't see the tiny blush that spread immediately across my cheeks. Snapping back from my reverie, I felt some weird sensation flow through my body. It felt like someone was pulling me. Like my blood was magnetic. "He's here," I whispered. Chloe ran over to me excitedly and looked out the window. "I don't see him." She frowned. I walked to get my light coat. While not exactly cold, it definitely didn't look warm out. "I'll be back," I told her, walking for the door. I felt mysteriously compelled to go outside. I could hear the remnants of her frown in her voice still. "But w—" "It's fine. You'll be able to see us, you voyeur," I joked, and then walked out the door before she could say anything else. I stepped out into the biting breeze, and walked the twenty-or-so steps until I reached the auburn courtyard. I turned in a circle, looking for him. Hand on my hips, I frowned. I could have sworn… And when I turned back around, he was there. "Holy shish-kabob!" I cried out, thankful for the lack of student pedestrians today. "Are you trying to scare the life out of me?" I watched his tragically handsome face twist a little in confusion. "What is a shish-kabob?" As he asked, his pale hand brushed my short, unmanageable hair out of my face, and I had to remind myself to breathe. "It's just a food," I said breathlessly. "Oh?" His interest seemed piqued. He grabbed my right wrist and held it gently in his hand as he pulled me along and off of the grounds. I nodded. "What kind of food?" I felt like he was distracting me—for obvious reasons—but I indulged him. "It's basically just meat on a stick." I paused. "Or vegetables… I think it's just anything you put on those skewers and on a grill," I added unnecessarily. We'd stopped walking and I looked up to him curiously. He was staring down at me, his dark eyes swirling like he was trying to get me to understand something… I frowned. His eyebrow raised and he grinned, slowly. I thought back to what I said— "Oh," I muttered on inhale. Mortification quickly set in, causing a slow burn to make its way across my skin. "Oh." I looked down in disbelief. Then I looked up at him with wide eyes. "Please tell me I didn't say that." He smiled down at me. "You most certainly did." I pulled my jacket tighter around me. I heard him sigh, and he picked my head up from where I'd tucked my chin to my chest. "You know," he started matter-of-factly, "I never thought that your blush—if you even did, for that matter—would be so prominent; with your skin the golden hue it is." I felt my cheeks heat involuntarily again, but I said nothing. "Come," he said, and we resumed walking. "Where are we going?" "I assumed you would like to go somewhere out of the chill?" His voice melted me like butter in a microwave. "When you assume, you only make an ass out of you and me," I mutter under my breath. Really, I couldn't care as to where we were, only the fact that we were… He laughed, and I knew he'd heard me. "Come," he repeated, and he pulled me through a door to a building downtown. I hadn't realized that we'd walked so far, so quickly. After trudging up (well, I trudged, he loped up gracefully) the fourth flight of stairs, I had to ask, "Isn't there an elevator?" I could only hope that I hadn't sounded rude. "We're here." And he pushed open a stairwell door that had the number six on it. "…But that was only four flights…" "Yes," he responded lightly, and walked towards another door. I followed. "Welcome back," he said grinning, as he opened the apartment door. I tried desperately to ignore the images that floated up in my mind. "I haven't been here in so long," I muttered. Tian just laughed. He pulled me down the hall, through the kitchen—I noticed that my clean dish was still by the sink—and into the living room. "This place is huge," I said, marveling at how much space he had for such a small building. "It is home." "So," I started, turning around. He was right behind me again. He looked at me and smiled. "What?" I asked, paranoid there was something on my face. He bent down and pressed his lips lightly to mine, but I kept my eyes open just to make sure my body hadn't caught on fire. Marginally sure it hadn't, I slid my hands up his front and clasped them behind his neck. He started walking us further into the living room, turning us around at the last second before we went down. "Mmmf!" I gasped into his mouth. He'd guided us into a chair that, even with my eyes open, I hadn't seen. Then he pulled his mouth from mine, and I didn't try to stop the tiny groan of disappointment that followed. He grinned at me, and I noticed absently that we were almost the same height—me sitting on his lap, that is. "You have questions, do you not?" His voice was soft and absurdly melodic. I figured that I'd start with the most unsettling question. Just to get it out of the way. "How did you know where I lived?" His smirk grew, completely distracting me until he answered, "Next." I scowled at him. "Next? You can't just say—" His lips silenced me quickly but efficiently. "Next," he repeated, his mouth still on mine. I pouted, and he bit my lower lip lightly. "Fine," I sighed, then squinted at him, looking him up and down. "What are you?" I asked, cutting to the chase. His mouth quirked to the side, and I followed the motion like I'd been hypnotized. He began speaking, but all I did was watch his lips move. I think he could tell, based on my lack of reaction to whatever he'd said. He smiled fully at me, and it drew my eyes up to his. "Mmm, sorry. What?" He raised his eyebrows. "I'm sure you already know." I stared at him, subconsciously bringing my hand up to my neck. He looked pained once he realized what I was covering. "Ah," his lyrical voice sounded choked. "I am sorry for that." "Sorry?" I sounded worried. He took my face between his hands again, brushing my cheeks with his thumbs. "I nearly killed you, Mia. Drained you…" But, even after his confession, I couldn't make myself afraid of him. The notion of feeling anything but complete admiration for him seemed so… silly. He stared at me. I stared back, watching the light swirl in his dark eyes. "You do not find this frightening?" I tilted my head, and watched his eyes stoop down to my neck before meeting mine again. He looked sheepish. "Not really, no." I brought my hand up and touched his lip. "Can I see them?" I whispered. "Do you really want to?" I nodded, but didn't say anything. He looked at me nervously, as if he expected me to bolt at any second. "Really, Tian," I told him. He opened his mouth slightly, and I watched with rapt fascination as his incisors slowly lengthened about half an inch to a sharpened point. I felt heat gather between my thighs. He grinned, and I supplied a tiny moan. I pressed my body closer to his and covered his lips with my own. I brushed my tongue into his cool mouth, tapping it against his fang gently. He groaned and pulled me away. I watched sadly as he retracted them. "I'm sorry," I said, wringing my hands in our laps, looking down. "It's alright." I peered up at him, waiting for him to say something else. Finally, "I am sh'ykyr." Tian watched me closely as he said this. As if I was supposed to know what that is. "Uh, I thought you were…" I trailed off unsurely. "Oh, no I am," he laughed softly then sighed. "I am vampyr, as you know." I nodded. "There are the elite, the t'y—" he stopped, and then reached past the arm of the chair to the end table. He pulled back with a small pad of paper and a pen. "It is not English," he explained. "So I will write them down for you." I nodded, finding that it was still the only thing I was capable of. Tian wrote quickly, but it was still neater than anything I would ever be able to inscribe. As he wrote, he said, "The word vampyr is one of the few in our language that has your vowel 'a.'" vampyr: vampire That was obvious. The next translation was written beneath t'y: elite. sh'ykyr: hunter I read that and swallowed. "You're a hunter?" I asked him in a small voice. "Yes," he said calmly, "though not only." He wrote several other words down: ub'yt: assassin rytn'k: warrior z'štytk: protector s'n'yur: dreamer The last one had no translation: up'dyč I tapped on it with my index finger. "What does this mean?" "It has no literal English translation," he told me, "but, if I had to choose, I would say that it is something akin to invader." "Hmmm." I stared at the small paper pensively. "I am all of these," he said quietly, "except for s'n'yur—that is you, Mia." I stared up at him with wide eyes. "…But I'm not like you." "You are a dreamer nonetheless." It was quiet. I could feel his eyes on me while I thought. "You said language… you mean an entire language?" He chuckled at my question. "As English is, yes." I looked to him. "Say something to me, then?" I asked him this as though it would prove everything was real. The corners of his lips tilted up. "yt ly'gp sy." I stared at him in wonder. "What does it mean?" "You are beautiful." His eyes scorched into mine. I had to look away. My mind was scrambled. "How do you pronounce these?" He looked down to the paper, also. He skipped vampyr, starting with the second on the list: "We make different sounds as vampyr, but you would say: t'yo… sha'kir… ub'iti… rutn'ik… z'astickt… sanjyur… yu'pa'dac." "'Y' seems to be a popular letter," I said absently. He nodded. "It takes the place of most vowels." I didn't need to ask why. Obviously some words would be hard to say when you've got fangs in your mouth. "Have you always lived here?" I felt like I should have known if there was a vampire living near me. "No." The way he said it made me look up, but he'd turned his head to look out the window. "What?" I asked him. I watched his jaw clench. When he spoke, he spoke slowly, "I am sn'vy od up'dyč." I recognized up'dyč, but other than that… "Uh—" "Invader of dreams." "Oh." He was snovy-od-yupadac-whatever… a dream invader… does that mean he could see into my dreams? I mean, I don't even want to see my dreams. I voiced my concern, and he nodded. I felt my eyes go large again. "You saw?" "Yes." "The baby w—" "Myself?" He interrupted. "Yes. I should thank you; I never knew what my mother looked like." I felt tears spring into the eyes. "You weren't born a vampire?" I whispered to him. I placed my head on his chest and listened for a heartbeat that I knew would not be there. "No." He seemed to be thinking. Then he continued, "I was born human—at least, that is what they tell me." "Who?" I murmured into the dark fabric of his shirt. "z'vy," he said. I heard him scratch something down on paper behind my back. He slid the pad between us so I could see. z'vy: elder "You would say zova." "Elder?" I questioned. "The Elders. They raised me from a certain point in my life onwards; they are the reason I am what I am now." "They turned you into a vampire?" I thought it was funny how it was so easy for me to say the word. He shook his head. "Would you truly like to hear my story?" "Yes, please, Tian." I couldn't help but feel like I was settling down for story-time. I rested my head on his cold chest again. "When I was born, the Tokugawa Period was coming to an end in Japan." I held my breath. I knew my history. That was— "Tokugawa Yoshinobu ended the dynasty in 1868. I was four years old." I had to interrupt. "But what I saw… you were born in a hospital. A modern hospital." He thought for a moment. "I have no answers as to why you see what you see—though I am sure it is crucial. Shall I continue?" I nodded against him. "Orphaned children—boys, I should correct—were valuable then. From the time I was a newborn, I believe, I was brought up under the ruling Yakuza family. I was trained as a baka—an assassin. Though that title then was much different than it is now. They told me that my skill was unprecedented. I rose steadily through the ranks and, by the time I was seventeen, I was the youngest wakagashira: the underboss to the oyabun, or kumicho, who was the head of our family. And we really were a family—though my concept of family was never really a certain thing. "1889, I was twenty-five. I was to take out a member of an opposing gang who had been trafficking in our territory. I had thought it was unnecessary, but my oyabun said it must be done. You did not question him. I'd watched my target for days; watching his patterns. I had planned to make it obvious—a statement—as I'd been told to do. I entered his room at dawn and, while I was used to the dark, found that it was completely black. There was no light in the room at all. "I moved to the left quietly, stepping around objects that I'd memorized from watching him during daylight. I made it to the left side of his mattress, and I pushed back the curtain on the window that I knew was there. The tiny sliver of moonlight that managed to get through was enough to see him—or what was left of him—on the mattress. I decided to leave by window, but I had… unexpected company. "Fighting and defeating a vampyr is essentially impossible for a human. And, while I tried, my swords could not penetrate the vampyr's skin. She had me by my neck, suspended mid-air, as I slashed uselessly at her impenetrable skin. Being what I was already, an assassin, she thought I was worthy to become a creature of the night. She thought I would be able to help her. "The pain was… something I will never forget. It was days before the venom finally made its way throughout my entire bloodstream. When I saw able to move again, disbelief took priority over all other emotions. It had taken me many, many years to become used to how we move. Everything is easy—immediate. I remained inside, or in the shadows, for years until I had perfected the act of human movement. My oyabun had long thought I was dead, and was therefore surprised when I came to him on orders from my… mother. "She'd trained me against other vampyr assassins, finding that I was easily the most comfortable and successful in what I did. After all, I had been doing it my entire life. While my oyabun was nearly a father-figure to me, I respected my creator's wishes and finished him; she'd held a grudge against him and decided that it would be my first test. When I came back to her, beneath the grounds of my city, after completing my task, she told me to go back up; to follow the new Yakuza gang, and see to it that I became their new baka. "She never told me of her reasons, but I trusted her—she gave me life when she could have taken it away so easily. "1915, Harukichi Yamaguchi: founder of the Yamaguchi-gumi gang. It did not start out as large as it is today, though I do not follow it any longer. But, as I started under the first kumicho, I am still an original Yamaguchi. "To enemies, I was the Shiryō Yamaguchi. The Yamaguchi ghost. I did not age; I was undefeatable; I was silent; I was undeniably deadly. The Yamaguchi-gumi was lucky to have me, and I say so with much humility. However, I quickly tired of the lifestyle, and I left their world completely once Noboru Yamaguchi inherited the title of kumicho in 1925 after his father died. "When I returned to my mother's home, I found it completely deserted except for one man. He told me she was in good health, and that I needed to come with him for the good of our people. I hadn't realized until then that he was vampyr, also. "We traveled for a long while—I am still unsure as to the actual length of time it takes one of us to travel from Japan to here." Tian stopped talking, and I looked up at him. "Who brought you here?" "Caro z'vy. Elder Caro. You have seen him once, in your dreams." I thought back to the only male I remember seeing clearly—long hair, papery skin, large eyes. Then I shuddered. Dream Sequence Ch. 04 He chuckled understandingly (and I savored the feel of him laughing beneath me). "I apologize for him—he certainly has no qualms concerning personal space. He is unused to human behavior, as well." "Hmm. So you have been with him ever since?" He nodded. "I have been with them for eighty-four years. My creator—my mother found hospitality with them as well." "Where?" "South of here. We like to live near natural, running bodies of water in spite of all the folklore that we cannot cross it." "But you can." "Yes. How else would we have gotten here in the first place?" "Well, with that indisputable logic…" I muttered. He smiled. "You accent… is it fake then?" "You will find that I can impersonate most accents flawlessly. Though, after living here for so long, I adopted this one in place of the Eastern one I had before." "What have you been doing for the last eighty-odd years?" I asked him, curious. "Whatever The Elders ask of me." We lapsed into silence then; the only sounds were our breathing and my steady heartbeat. Which made me think. "Do you have to breathe? I mean, I figured none of your internal organ worked." "Technically, it is unnecessary. But you smell good." He chuckled. My cheeks flamed, but I ignored it. "So all of this…" I didn't know how to say what I needed to ask him. "You're just here because The Elders asked you to be?" "Yes, and no," he replied smoothly. "My initial task was to bring you to them." A gasp slipped between my lips. "However," he continued. "I have found your companionship quite… enjoyable." I just noticed the stiff ridge I'd been sitting on was definitely not his leg. I blushed again, though this time out of anger. "So… what, you're just going to have your way with me then dump me with them?" He clucked his tongue. "Mia, I will not leave you." The way he said it calmed me instantly. The truth that rang in every word was undeniable. "Why?" "I have my reasons." And the quiet settled again. I was always the one to interrupt it. "You're two-hundred sixty-five years old." It was not a question—I'd done the math three times over in my head to be sure. I felt him nod slowly from where my head was resting on his shoulder. I gave a small smile. "The Tokugawa dynasty ruled for two-hundred sixty-five years." His voice sounded genuinely surprised when he said, "Really? I never realized that—how did you know?" "Eh," I said, still smiling. I was pleased I could surprise him despite everything he must know after being around for so long. "I've been known to pay attention in class every once-in-a-while." "And this doesn't bother you?" Tian's voice was so quiet I could barely hear him. "What?" I whispered back. "Anything and everything about me. Your reactions have been quite unusual, might I add." He sounded… sad? I brought my face up to be level with his. "Tian," I sighed. I couldn't think of anything to say to him that would make him feel better… except… I moved my face so my cheek was near his, and I whispered into his ear, "make love to me, Tian, please." His answering groan was faint, but I heard it. It made me happy in ways I couldn't fathom. I bit down on his her ear then moved south, though I continued to nip at his skin. When I reached his neck, I bit down a little harder, knowing I couldn't hurt him. He twitched beneath me, and I smiled into his skin. I made tiny, little bites down his neck then to the front of his chest. I reached for the first button of his shirt, and then paused. "Don't Yakuza have tattoos?" I couldn't remember seeing any on him before. He undid all of the buttons on his shirt faster than I would have thought possible. "I can hide them from humans if I wish." My eyes went wide. "You mean your entire body…" His grin was lop-sided. It made my stomach flip. "No. I, unlike my brothers, did not acquire my full-body irezumi because after I turned twenty-five, my skin was impassable to the tools they used to make the tattoos. What I do have, however, is a series of irezumi that were never finished. They took up a painful couple of years in my early life, and they will never fade." He pulled his shirt off and tossed it somewhere out of my line of sight. I watched, mesmerized, as his tattoos slowly shimmered onto his skin. The designs were intricate at his hips, and they slowly came to an end before they reached his lean, sculpted middle. They traveled up his sides, branching out to cover the edges of his chest before they stopped again. I just stared. I wanted to… to… to trace all of them with my tongue, top to bottom, and then do it all over again. "By all means, then," he said, startling me. "What?" He grabbed me tightly, and, before I could even blink, he'd carried me with inhuman speed to his bedroom. He sat us down, me still in his lap, and then he laid back. "If you must," he said. I looked at him in confusion. "You still don't have a filter around me, it would seem," he explained. My mouth opened, and then closed. "I…" He interlocked his fingers behind his head, the picture of complete relaxation… "I'm waiting." His grin was slightly predatory. My lips formed a thin line of determination, and I bent over him say my face hovered over his. My hair dangled by the sides of my face. I bit my lip seductively, watching his eyes follow the movement as my tongue swiped out to sooth the bite. "I don't know… You've been an awfully bad boy, Tian." I made my voice as husky as possible. His eyes sparkled as he pleaded with me. I touched my lips to his briefly, teasingly, before drawing away. Tucking my hair behind my ears, I smiled then bent down again. He met my passion with just as much fervor. The way his mouth sealed on mine, it was like he was sucking all of my heat into his cool mouth. I sucked his lower lip into my mouth, letting it go as I pulled away completely. I kissed down the side of his face then turned, once again, to biting when I reached his neck. I laved each bite I made with my tongue, and he pressed his hips up searchingly. He'd moved his arms to my back, where they slid underneath my shirt to caress my sides. I bit down his chest, coming to his nipple, which I took between my teeth lightly. He made a strangled sound, and I looked up to see his eyes shut tightly. I pursed my lips around it to soothe him, when his hands were suddenly pulling me back up. He flipped us over so I was beneath him. He quite literally ripped my shirt off of me—I handled the bra. He pressed his cool chest down on mine while his kissed me. My nipples hardened from the chilling arousal. Tian tugged at my pants impatiently until they were down by my ankles. I pushed them off with my feet, and then pulled his head down to mine again. I kissed him hard then broke away. "I want to see them again," I moaned, pulling his zipper down. "Mmm, please Tian." "You have no idea what it does to me when you say my name like that." And he opened his mouth slightly so I could see his fangs come down. I pushed up against him, my breasts flattened. I captured his groan in my mouth. I let my tongue duel with his until I felt something cold brush up against it from the side. I wrapped my tongue around his elongated incisor. "For the love of all that is Holy—" He started, but I kissed him again—paying particular attention to the cold teeth while he shucked his pants off and threw them so they hit the opposite wall with a thud. "I need you," he breathed. I moaned and slid my panties down my legs. "Please, Tian." He kissed down my neck as he lined himself up with my entrance. We both groaned as he slid into me. His movements were torturously slow, and I scratched my nails along his back trying to convey what I wanted. His cool hand touched my clit and I jumped. "Uhng, Tian. Harder—please… oh." On every stroke he would grind his pelvis quickly into mine, pushing his cool fingers down harder onto my pearl. My muscles clenched. "Is that good?" He whispered, leaning down to take one nipple in his mouth. "Oh my god," I said, heaving deep breaths. "F-faster," I gasped out. He increased his tempo until all I could think about was how delicious he felt inside of me. He pushed in deeper and deeper, pulling my body flush against his. "Aah—yes!" I cried out. I could feel my inner-walls quiver; my back arched and head tossed back. I grabbed his shoulders and pushed him so he was on his back. I slid back down on him and my body stiffened. I could feel wetness seep out of my core while I shivered on top of him. Coming back to Earth, I felt him still hard inside me. I moved my hips up and down while I bent over his body. I tongued the lines of his ancient tattoos, satisfaction making me glow as he moaned loudly. Then I felt his long fingers wrap around my throat and pull me up against his body so his face was near mine. The slightly-frantic, wild look in his eyes made me whimper. "You want more?" He asked me, his hips pushing up on every down stroke I made. My eyes rolled back into my head a little bit. He kissed my swollen lips, still holding onto my throat. Then he bit the corner of my jaw. "Oh—again! Bite me," I told him, barely moving my hips anymore—he was doing all the work. "Yes?" He asked. "You want that?" His soft voice washed over me. "Oh my God, yes. Tian… mmm." I licked my dry lips. I felt his sharp, cold fangs skim the skin along my neck and I came apart again. I barely felt the pain when his incisors pierced my flesh; he stretched out my orgasm until I was a spastic mess on top of him. I felt a tiny shock go through my body as I felt him pulling my blood from me. The dragging sensation made me moan and press my neck closer to him. He held my throat tightly—I could barely breathe, but I relished in it. I felt him coat my insides with his cum, and then he slowly retracted his fangs. The feel of them sliding out of my skin was nearly too much for me to handle. I sighed loudly as he cleaned my throat with his freezing tongue. He rolled me over so that I was strewn across half of his body. The half of me that wasn't touching him was still on fire. He mumbled something I didn't catch. With great, effort, I picked my head up. "Wha?" "Was that okay… for you…?" His tone was slightly nervous—as if he thought he might've hurt me again. "Mmm, perfect," I sighed again, and dropped my head. I expected to land on him, but—in that short amount of time where my head was up—he'd place a sheet between us so I wouldn't freeze. Thoughtfulness counts. ~ He slipped out from underneath her, and watched as she rolled to the spot he vacated. She smiled. Maybe she likes the cold. "Where are you going?" He'd already slipped his pants back on. "I'll be right back, Mia." He bent down and kissed her forehead, delighting in the way her natural scent was nearly coated with his. She nodded, and he tugged a dark-gray shirt on. He shook his head, his dark hair flying. "Tian," she called, luring him back to her. "Hmm?" "Do I have to get up, too?" Tian sat next to her on the bed. It wouldn't be such a bad idea, actually. "Would you like to? You would have to see Caro z'vy again." "Oh," she said. But Mia got up and dressed herself slowly, not realizing the tantalizing image she showed him. Tian closed his eyes briefly. When she finished, he stood up from the bed and took her wrist in his hand. "Ready?" He watched her nod, her colorful hair messy around her perfect face. And then they were out of the building, running through the streets of southern England. He barely had time to register the exhilarating, familiar experience before he stopped in front of his real home. Tian looked down at her and smiled. Mia's eyes were big, her bright irises bored into his unflinchingly. "What was that?" "That is how we travel." He watched her think. A tiny crease formed in her forehead. "That was you… running?" She asked. Tian nodded. "And you barely noticing we moved." "…But…I mean, I knew you moved fast… but that's ridiculous!" He turned to face her. "Remember how I told you I was born human?" "Mhm," she replied, stepping closer to him. "Well, no one is exactly sure about that."