Chapter One Hundred Twenty Nate was all smiles. The sky was glittering with stars overhead, the nearly full moon setting the night ablaze with light. The smell of the campfire was just like he'd dreamed it would be, and the hot dogs roasting on their makeshift spit added an even more pleasant aroma. The sound of the river boiling over the rocks was like steady white noise, making him just a bit drowsy and altogether mellow. Lindy looked like a golden goddess in the fire light, Liam was playing happily in the nearby grass, and their camp sight was everything anyone could ask for. Private, spacious, and beautiful. But most of all, he was smiling because it was Tuesday...and Marrok Deschamps was miles away. Lindy grinned as well, skewering marshmallows for s'mores for dessert. She had forgotten how much loved being out in the woods at night, even if this time she wasn't able to shift into a wolf's body. Keeping one eye on Liam so he didn't wander off, she glanced over at Nate, noting that he hadn't looked this relaxed in quite a long time. "Penny for your thoughts, beloved." "Hmm...just overall contentment, gorgeous." He looked over at their son, who was wagging his tail wildly as he bounded after a slow flying bug. "I'm glad we brought Liam with us, instead of leaving him at home. I don't think we would have stayed long otherwise. Plus, he deserves to see this place. Too bad we can't build a house here." Technically they were on private property. But for a small fee--bribe--the owners had let them stay. "This place is almost as beautiful as you are, Alinda." Lindy smiled and looked down, blushing in the firelight. She leaned over and kissed Nate on the cheek. "I was wondering. You said that you spent time as a cowboy once. Did you spend time like this then? Gathered around a campfire? Or riding with the herd?" He chuckled softly and shook his head. "No. And I wasn't a cowboy for very long. Maybe a few months. I wasn't cut out for it. Cowboys do their work during the day. The most I could do at night was watch over the herd and the other men, to make sure there weren't any attacks by other gangs. If I did sit around a camp fire, it was almost always by myself, or with the cook just before he went to bed. Some of the time I would cook, but the boys didn't like my chili--wasn't hot enough for them. They're tough, and more than a little crazy. The injuries they faced would make my blood run cold." "Oh." She had expected to hear that it had been enjoyable for him. But then she had the romanticized version of riding the range, not thinking about the real dangers that he would have faced. Lindy scooted over next to him and put her arm around his waist. Fighting the glare of the fire, she looked up at the stars. "Look," she said pointing up wards. "You can see Orion. Just like that night on the rooftop." Nate smiled, leaning back against the boulder they'd parked next to. Behind them, the rented motor home sat in shadows, only it's light outside the side door shining. "And the dog star," he said, stroking her hair. "I miss that rooftop sometimes. The feelings I had there. I wanted you so badly I could taste it. And it was exhilarating to realize that you wanted me too." He tilted her head up and kissed her. "We need to build an addition to our house, so we can have our rooftop here, too." "We definitely need to do that." She snuggled close to him, running her hand up and down his chest. "I wanted you, despite what I said that night. I was just so scared and uncertain about if my feelings were true, or if I was just trying to get back at Anton for what happened." She kissed his cheek. "Fortunately for us, I figured that out fast." "Mmhmm." Brushing an errant hair behind her ear, he studied her face. He wondered if she would take his next question as the simple curiosity it was, or get defensive and secretive with him. He wouldn't blame her if she did. She probably wanted to leave it behind her. But he couldn't help but wonder. "What did happen, between you and Anton? What did he do to you? And what was Bryn doing at the time?" She sighed. Lindy really didn't want to relive that time of her life, but she answered him honestly. "I thought I loved him, and he didn't have a clue until I told him. And afterward, he was a bit guilty and overprotective. He was worried that I was dating a serial killer before he knew who you were. And Bryn, she felt bad about the situation too. She tried, at least, not to remind me that she was marrying him constantly." He shook his head. "That's not what I asked, Lindy. I mean that night. What did he do to you that night the three of you were together? What happened in that hotel room?" Lindy shifted a bit uncomfortably. "Do you really want to hear all the details, Nathaniel?" "Yes." She pulled away from him slightly, as if she were afraid he'd find her dirtied by her experience. "Bryn had brought him into the room with his eyes shut, so he didn't even know I was in the room. Until he snuck a peak and just about had a heart attack when he saw it was me touching him and not her." She wasn't sure how much detail he really wanted. "We were all touching during foreplay, but Bryn had to talk me out of a flashback when Anton..." "When Anton what?" He couldn't help the strong instinct to protect her, even from demons of the past. He knew Anton never would've intentionally hurt Lindy, but the idea that he might've bothered Nate all the same. Her face flushed more. Although she trusted Nate with all her heart, she was still feeling vulnerable about talking about what happened that night. "He got on top of me, and I flashed back to my childhood. He knew right away that something was wrong and got off me. But Bryn was the one who was able to talk me back." Nate frowned. "You don't have that problem with me--do you? I don't remember you ever getting upset, but maybe I was too...horny to pay attention." "No," she quickly reassured him, resting a hand on his thigh. "I've never had that problem with you." Her hand slid up and down his leg reassuringly. "Anton let me be on top the first time. Bryn was trying hard not to be jealous, but she was. They didn't think I could hear what they were talking about in the bathroom, but I could. I just didn't want to deal with it then." He tired so hard not to imagine his wife on top of his brother, but the image came anyway with such searing intensity that it made him wince. [You're the idiot who asked], he told himself. And he did want to know. So there was nothing left to wonder about. No mystery about those few hours in that hotel room. But he hadn't expected to feel so jealous of something that had happened before he and Lindy had even met. "What--" He cleared his throat. "What were they talking about?" "The night I met Bryn, she thought at first I was his girlfriend. When Bryn left the bed, almost in tears but denying she was upset, Anton called her on it. Bryn didn't want to talk about it then, and to be honest, neither did I." It had been easier to lay there and pretend her heart wasn't breaking. She stared down at the ground at their feet. "They both came back, and we had sex again. This time Bryn was the center of attention. But afterwards, she told Anton about my feelings for him. She also told him that he and I belonged together, since neither of us were human, and she was. Then she got dressed and went downstairs. I got dressed too, told Anton that I knew that this couldn't happen again. Anton agreed, and we went downstairs to find her. The rest you know." "Why did any of you agree to have sex again after her getting so upset?" he asked, mystified. "And what on earth made you still want to be her friend after that?" "I don't think any of us were thinking clearly then, Nate. I think we all wanted to pretend that everything was okay, that there wouldn't be any changes to our relationships after that. As to why we were all still friends..." Lindy looked up and around, as if trying to gather the words out of the air. But instead she frowned. "Where's Liam?" Nate half-turned and looked back to where Liam had been playing. Gone. His eyes scanned the immediate area and when he didn't see their son, he shot to his feet. "Liam!" Not a sound but the rushing of the river. "Oh damn it..." he said in a hushed whisper, looking towards the water. Quickly dropping to his knees, he unzipped the bag they'd kept their chips and condiments in, and pulled out a couple of flashlights, handing one to Lindy. "Liam!" he called again, louder this time, his voice edged with panic. Looking to Lindy, he said, "Start looking up by the trees. I'll head towards the water." "Oh God," Lindy said, feeling helpless. If she were still a werewolf, she'd just track him by smell, pick him up in her jaws, and scold him for wandering away. But she couldn't track him by scent. Instead she had to rely on her sight and her hearing... That gave her an idea. She hoped she could still do this right. Tilting her head back, she let out a soft howl, the call of a mother wolf for her wandering cubs to return. Nate was still rushing over rocks when he heard the few answering yaps behind him. He turned so suddenly, he fell and twisted his ankle. "Ow, fuck!" His little feet sounding on the packed earth like a galloping horse, Liam charged out of the trees and headed straight for Lindy, bouncing and wiggling at her feet. Lindy scooped up Liam, relieved, although she didn't show it. "You just about gave Mommy and Daddy a heart attack! Don't you ever run away like that again!" She turned around and looked at Nate, noticing him standing with his weight on one leg. "Nate! Are you okay?" "I will be," he muttered. Looking at Liam, he said in a stern voice, "You're a very naughty boy!" Whimpering, the puppy that was their son pawed the air and tucked his tail between his legs. Unable to maintain his anger, Nate limped over to where Lindy stood and gently rubbed Liam's head. "I think it's about time for you to take a nap anyway." Liam pressed his head against Nate's fingers, his tail wagging furiously. "Let's see if we can get him down for bed. I'm not sure that he's not too hyped up now to get some sleep." She carried Liam over to the RV. "You want to stay out here for a while longer, Nate?" Nate glanced at the fire. "Uh...we haven't even eaten yet. We forgot all about the hot dogs. I think they may be a little well-done. Why don't we put some new ones on, get him fed, and then we'll put him down." "Okay." Not letting go of Liam, she walked with him back to the fire and plopped down, Liam firmly in her lap. Irrationally, part of her was grateful that Liam had wandered off and distracted them from Nate's question about her friendship with Bryn. The bond they had shared as Lindara and Brinley explained a lot, but she wasn't sure that she could explain it to Nate. Using a wadded up napkin to remove the charred hot dogs from the spit, Nate tossed them aside and grabbed some new ones. He watched Liam and Lindy out of the corner of his eye, noting how much more relaxed she was now. She'd gotten away with not answering some of his questions, and he figured he probably shouldn't push her any further. He now knew what happened that night, even if she hadn't given him details. He doubted she ever would. And he wasn't all that sure he could handle knowing. It was better to leave well enough alone, before someone's feelings got hurt. "Sabryn, may I speak with you for a moment?" Justin Steel stepped into her office, wanting to check in on her. He had noticed a slight shift in her mood in the last few weeks, ever since she had arrived with her body guard. He looked pointedly at Mulder. "Alone?" Mulder let out a loud sigh before getting up from the chair he was slouching in. He took his book of crossword puzzles with him, muttering, "I'll be in the hall." Bryn shook her head with amusement as he shut the door behind him. Gesturing to the chair across from her desk, she said to Justin, "Please, sit down. Is there something wrong?" She watched him uncertainly. "If this is about the L.A. delivery, I have that problem settled. I can get the invoice for you." "No, it's no, although I'm glad to hear you resolved that problem." Justin leaned forward slightly, hands clasped together and resting on his knees. "Is everything okay, Sabryn? I know your sales haven't been as dramatic as the opening, but you seem a little upset about something. Is everything okay with your pregnancy?" "Everything is just fine. I get tired a little easier now, but other than that I'm handling it. I think I'm just a little stressed out by needing to have a bodyguard at my heels six hours a night, and whenever I need to go out." She paused, wanting to say more but not certain she should. "There...is something I wanted to say. I've been getting a vibe from other employees, that maybe they think there's a little bit of favoritism. Um...that you tend to give me free rein and not the others." "I see..." Justin looked a bit nonplussed. "If I have, it has been completely unintentional. It's just difficult to say no to a beautiful and talented woman, such as yourself. I am sorry if I have put you in an uncomfortable situation, Sabryn." She licked her lips and swallowed, hoping she hadn't sounded ungrateful. "It's really just the other employees. Other than baby sitting and some light computer work for my husband's company, this is really my first job. I thought maybe all bosses were as nice as you are." Bryn smiled at him. "I really do appreciate how helpful you've been." "It has been my pleasure, Sabryn. And if there is anything I can do, please let me know." Justin walked around to the other side of her desk. "You mentioned something about the L.A. invoices? You have them?" "Yeah, right here." She turned her chair and started typing, slightly unnerved by his closeness. He wasn't ugly, didn't have bad breath, or wear too much cologne. In fact, he was quite handsome and smelled wonderful. And that was the problem. It made her miss Anton. And she couldn't help looking down to make sure she wasn't showing too much cleavage. Bringing up the documents she'd been working on earlier in the day, she sat back a bit and tilted the screen in Justin's direction. Justin leaned closer, tilting over the chair, his face almost even with hers. Close enough to kiss her if he turned the right way. They were discussing the document when the knock came on the door. "Come in," Bryn called, thinking that it was one of her coworkers, or perhaps Mulder checking on her. But she didn't expect it to be Anton standing there. "Is this a bad time, Bryn?" She looked up, slightly startled, and then smiled widely. "Since when has there ever been a bad time for you to come see me? Come in! We should be done with this in just a few minutes." Anton nodded as he stepped in the room and took a seat. He watched Bryn and Justin discuss the invoice, not too certain he was happy with how close Justin was standing to Bryn. He was feeling the need to assert his territory, but he didn't want to cause problems for Bryn with her boss. "Right," Bryn said, hoping her boss would leave soon. "There was a delay, so the customer panicked, but it turned out that it had been delivered to the wrong address. He was lucky he was good friends with his neighbor, because the guy brought it over later that night, saying that he thought there was a mistake. The customer was upset, but once I'd apologized and told him I'd pay for the shipping myself, he calmed down a bit. Thankfully he got the painting, because he was starting to mutter stuff about wanting to sue." Justin nodded. "Good," he said patting Bryn on her shoulder. Anton's eyes followed the motion, his lips compressing. Justin glanced at Anton and then backed off slightly. "Keep me informed, and if he has any other problems, have him contact me." With a sideways look at Anton, he started towards the door. "Let me know if there's anything else you need, Sabryn." "I will. Thank you," she said, then added, after the door closed behind him, "for leaving." Smiling at Anton, she got up from her chair and walked around the desk, settling in his lap to give him a lingering kiss hello. "What did I do to deserve this special treat? I thought I wasn't going to see you again until...around two?" "Had a meeting with a potential client about three blocks from here, so I figured I'd surprise you." His fingers skimmed over her shoulders and her spine. Anton pressed his face to her hair and inhaled deeply. "So how's work going? And I think you handled that angry client very well, my dear. It's what I would have done for a missing shipment." Bryn grinned at him. "I know. I remembered you doing that a long time ago. That's where I got the idea." She squirmed a bit on his lap to get comfortable...or at least that would be her excuse, if he asked. His hardness was pressing against her thigh, making her insides quiver. "And it's going good here, I guess. I think I kind of get preferential treatment because I'm so new at this. The other employees seem to be getting a little jealous." Anton pushed Bryn's hair to one side so he could lightly kiss her neck. "Have you brought it up to your boss? You're not seeking out preferential treatment, but I know that can't be easy on you." He rubbed his forehead on the base of her neck, brushing his nose against her cleavage. "I guess it would be wrong then to ask you to come home early with me." "I did talk to him about it, and he apologized for putting me in that position. I don't think he realized it was happening." His hot breath felt wonderful on her chest and she couldn't help arching her back to press him closer to her breasts. "As for me going home with you...it probably would be a bad idea to ask him for the time off now. But, I only have a little over an hour left. If you want to go over to that Italian restaurant down the street and get something to eat, you can bring it back here and wait for me in the break room. Then I'll join you as soon as I can. But you have to get me something to eat, too. And some dessert." "Yes,my dear," he answered, trying hard not to lean her back to the floor and take her as she wiggled against him. "Do you want the pasta alfredo and cheesecake?" Lifting his head, he tucked her against his chest for a moment. His fingers gently cupped her growing belly. "Or are you craving something else?" Bryn shook her head. "That sounds perfect. And if they have some iced tea, I'll have some of that to go, too." She turned slightly, pressing more fully against his chest as she put her nose to his neck and breathed in his cologne. "I've been missing you. There's all kinds of good looking men coming in and out of here, and it only made me think of you and how much I wished you would walk in the door. Lucky me, my wish came true." Anton smiled, turning his head to rub his cheek against hers. "We're both lucky then, my dear." A devilish smile crossed his face. "And hopefully once we're home, my dear, we'll both get lucky." "Mmm. In that case, let's hurry up and get this hour over with. Maybe it will pass quickly." She leaned closer and kissed him, lightly running her fingers through his hair. "Come on, my love. The quicker we move, the faster we get home." He kissed Bryn lightly back, stroking her hair as well. "You know, my dear, it's going to be hard to do that if you are still on my lap." She stuck her tongue out at him, then squealed and quickly jumped away as he tried to tickle her. "I'll be in the gallery. And I'll see you when I'm done." Stopping just in front of the door, she lowered her voice to a sultry murmur. "Until later, lover." Anton stood up and followed her out the door. "Until later, lover." The scent of fresh marinara greeted Bryn as she stepped in the door. She saw both the Jaguar and the PT Cruiser in the garage, so she knew that Anton was home as well. "Sugar?" "In the dining room, my dear. Food's ready when you are," she heard him call back. "Oh, I read an article in the paper, which gave me an idea. I thought you'd like to try it." She stepped into the dining room to find Anton reclining on. He was naked with various hor d'ouerves placed over his chest and belly, the main dishes arranged on plates around him. He arched an eyebrow at her, grinning mischievously. "Hungry, my dear?" "I definitely am, now." Her eyes were wide with delight as she dropped her purse and coat to the floor. She knew he'd picked up Max on his way home, so the baby had to be upstairs sleeping. Or maybe in his portable crib in the living room. At any rate, the monitor was on, Petunia was outside, and dinner was served. Slipping out of her shoes, she walked over to his side to inspect the...'spread' before her. "Hmm, where to begin? Everything looks so delicious." As she spoke, she began unbuttoning her blouse, sliding it off her shoulders as she bent over to smell the food. Eyeing his erection, she said, "I see you've saved me a seat." "Ummhumm," he nodded. "May I recommend you start with the shrimp?" he said, glancing with his eyes at the prawns neatly arranged on his abdomen next to a small pool of sauce near his navel. "The cocktail sauce is a little on the spicy side and irritating my skin." She giggled, letting her skirt drop to the floor. Pulling back the chair at the end, she stepped up on it and then carefully crawled her way on to the table. She stopped to dip her finger in the cocktail sauce and put it in her mouth. "Woo...yeah, spicy." Kneeling over him, she dipped a prawn into the sauce and lifted it to her mouth, extending her tongue to lightly trace around the underside, before biting in. "Mmm." His eyes followed every move she made, his cock twitching at the sight of her tongue caressing the shrimp. Anton's breathing deepened, and he fought to keep still as her fingers tickled his skin when she picked up one of the mini-quiches near his nipples. "You know my dear, I haven't eaten anything while I was getting this ready." Sitting back on his thighs, she took a bite of her appetizer and spoke with the food stuffed against her cheek. "You know, tha's a weally touching stowy, suguw." She went back to chewy, grinning at him as he tried to buck her off of him with his thighs. Popping another bite in her mouth, she reached for the iced tea above his shoulder. "I'm awmost moved to teaws." He gave her a slow grin. "I guess in that case when you're done with this course, I'll just have to eat whatever is in front of me." His eyes drifted up and down her body, taking in the long column of her throat as she swallowed. "But if I get hungry enough, I may not wait." She grinned as she picked up a fork and entangled it in the fettucine alfredo, twirling the fork until there weren't any dangling strands. Then, leaning forward, she held the utensil in front of his mouth. "See, I'm nice...I'm giving you the first bite." He gave her a mischievous grin. "And here I thought you wanted to be eaten." He leaned forward slightly, trying not to disturb the food remaining on his belly and wrapped his lips around the fork. He pulled his head back slowly. "Mmmm..." "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll notice there's always room for dessert." She loaded her own fork-full of pasta and agreed with his assessment. Mmmm, indeed. Setting the fork down, she headed for the next sample on his chest, picking it up carefully and partially biting through half, before leaning forward to offer him the rest with her mouth. He kissed her deeply, scooping the pasta out of her mouth. Deliberately stroking her tongue with his before he withdrawing to his mouth. He made a big show of chewing and swallowing before devouring her mouth in another kiss. She started giggling against his mouth, but relished kissing while surrounded by food. Her stomach was grumbling for more and she reached behind her to unhook her bra, letting the straps slide down her shoulders. When she sat up a bit to remove the fabric completely, she had food all over her too. "I think it's your turn to sample, sugar." He began licking at her shoulder much like a grooming cat. His fingers skimmed over her flesh and came to tweak her nipples. His fingers dipped into the alfredo sauce and wiped it on her breast and then bent down to lap it off "The food tastes better than usual, my dear," he said, as he switched to her other breast. "But I think it has more to do with what it's being served on than its taste." "Definitely," she said, pushing her finger into the slice of cheesecake. She took a large daub of the sweet paste and smeared it over his left nipple, then leaned down to leisurely lick it off. The cold cheese concoction was a drastic contrast to the heat of his skin and her mouth, and she had to make sure it didn't start melting. "Although, I think it would be even better if I weren't wearing these panties." "Yes it would." Not willing to tease either of them any longer, Anton reached down and hooked his thumbs into her panties and pulled them down slowly. "Mmmm...looks delicious," he moaned as his eyes roved over her body. His fingers curled between her legs, dipping into her sex. He quickly pulled them out and lifted them to his mouth. "Yes...absolutely delicious," he whispered, licking his finger clean. She stared at him and swallowed hard, barely moving as she slowly pulled the fabric the rest of the way down her legs. "I think you're playing with fire, Mr. Rudenko." Grabbing the fork from the plate of pasta, she picked up a large amount of the fettucine and dumped it on his chest, before leaning closer, and went to work cleaning up every last bite. Her hips were working as well, dragging her sex up and down the underside of his cock. He let out a gasp at the feeling of the warmth on his chest, and then groaned as her tongue bathed his chest and her sex his cock. Twitching his hips, he sank deep inside of her, his head falling back against the table. Dimly, he hoped the table wouldn't collapse under the pounding it was about to receive. Bryn whimpered lightly as he entered her, but couldn't seem to stop eating. [This idea of sex on the dining room table was genius!] she thought to herself. [I don't know why we didn't do this sooner.] Rolling her hips slight to gently rock him back and forth inside her, she grabbed one of the prawns that had slid on to the table and dipped into the sauce on his stomach, eating with obvious enjoyment. Anton let out a soft purr at her the movement of her hips. Thoughts of eating rapidly disappearing from his head as a different hunger flared, he put his hands on her hips "Enjoying your meal, my dear?" "Mmhmm," she mumbled, dipping a piece of bread in the alfredo sauce. She took a large bite, sighing in bliss, and moaned when he started urging her to move faster upon him. Breathing faster, she leaned over him and braced her weight on one hand, using the forward motion to push her into a quicker rhythm. She kept her muscles tight around him, unwilling to let him slip out of her. His breath sped up as she squeezed his cock. He pushed up into her, grinning widely. He was glad his eye had caught that article in the newspaper. "I've heard of dining al fresco, my dear, but we might start a trend of dining au naturel." "Mmm...true, but we'd have to tell someone before it could become a trend, and I'm keeping you all to myself. No more sharing with others, sugar." Picking up the slice of cheesecake, she held it in front of his mouth, allowing him to take a bite before quickly having one of her own. "I only share with you." Anton chewed and swallowed before grabbing her head and pulling her to his mouth. He kissed her, his tongue tasting her as well as the flavors she had been enjoying. His hips pumped to meet hers, harder and faster than earlier. Whimpering, Bryn matched his movements, settling down flat on top of him, hungrily devouring his mouth. The contents of the table were starting to rattle and slide, shimmying on the tablecloth. And the high ceiling of the dining room made every little moan and sigh sound like a symphony. He clung to her tightly, his fingers digging into her hips and guiding her. His tongue dueled with hers. He was breathing heavily, unable to catch his breath as she squeezed him. "Yessss...." he whispered. "Yesss...Ssssabrynnn..." Bryn bit her lip, lacing her fingers behind his neck, and lifted slightly to give more leverage to her forward motion. She watched his eyes as she danced over him, and felt something wild inside her want to eat him alive. He looked so delicious, and when she finally felt herself cumming, she dove down and bit him on the hard muscles of his shoulder. Anton threw back his head and yelled. He came hard beneath her, arching up to push as deep inside as she could. Reflexively, he threw out one arm, knocking some of the dishes to the floor. Straining and panting, he kept thrusting. Anything to keep up the sweet contractions surrounding his cock. Still whining softly, she released her mouth's grip on him and settled her cheek against his chest, lying fully atop him, her hips still moving on him. Her eyelids were drooping, the drugging effects of satisfaction making her sleepy. After a few minutes she stopped moving entirely, merely lying limply on top of him. Her breath hot on her face as it backwashed from his neck. Eventually his hips fell still. If they were in bed, he would have pulled up the blankets and waited for the next round. Although it sounded tempting here on the table. His hand slowly came up to stroke her hair. "Still hungry, my dear?" "Hmm?" She sounded like she'd been about to fall asleep. Lifting her head, she met his gaze and then looked at the food surrounding them. "Yeah...I could go for the rest of that pasta and cheesecake. If I can get off of here without breaking anything, maybe we could go to the kitchen and get cleaned up first?" "Sounds good, my dear." But he couldn't help but give a small sigh as Bryn lifted off of him. Anton lifted his head and looked over the edge of the table. "Well, at least it was the breadsticks I knocked over and not the marinara sauce." He sat up once Bryn was off the table, and swung his legs to sit on the edge. "So did you enjoy your dinner, my dear?" "I enjoy you as my dinner, dessert, breakfast, and lunch," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. Leaning closer, she kissed him softly. "I thought this was a wonderful idea. We may have to eat all of our meals this way, from now on. Although it may be a tad inappropriate when company is over." "Yeah, it would be a bit awkward. Especially when you start smearing cream cheese on my nipples." Anton kissed her lips, resting his forehead against hers. "Although I might want to have my dinner served that way every so often." She smiled. "Of course. And when my belly gets bigger, I might even be able to serve you soup in my cleavage." The rising sun had forced them to retreat into the trailer. Which was find with Lindy. It was nice out by the fire, but the ground was a bit lumpy. It was much more comfortable, if crowded, inside. Lindy smiled at her husband. "So, do you want to your anniversary present now?" Nate bounced a bit, grinning, and said, "What do you think?" They were sitting at the table, mashed in against the cushions, so not as to disturb Liam as he napped on the bed. Munching on chips and drinking a root beer, Nate looked like a little kid on his first vacation. He was enjoying this so much and had barely stopped smiling since they arrived. "What is it? Gimme, gimme!" Lindy giggled at his eager display. She pulled out a box wrapped in blue foil wrapping paper with a bright red bow. "These should be the right size, since I measured you more than once," she said with a devilish grin. And that grin didn't fade as he tore away the paper to reveal a new pair of leather pants. "Ooh," he said, rubbing his finger against the butter-soft leather, "that's nice." Immediately standing up, he unfastened the jeans he was wearing and let them drop around his ankles. Stepping free of the fabric, he grabbed the leather pants and pulled them on, playfully grunting and groaning as they creaked from stretching. Sucking in his stomach dramatically, he zipped them up. "Perfect." He pulled Lindy closer and kissed her. "Thank you, Lindy." Lindy smiled, grinning as well. Just as she thought, he looked incredibly hot in those leather pants. "You're welcome." She had intended to play it cool, but she couldn't wait any longer. "So what did you get me?" Nate chuckled softly and headed towards the bedroom, his pants squeaking the entire way. He stepped inside carefully so he didn't wake Liam. Grabbing his soft sports bag from under the bed, he brought out the whole thing to save time and closed the door behind him. Walking back to the table, he grinned at her. She looked very cute sitting there with wind-blown hair and eager eyes. Setting the bag on the table, he unzipped it and began digging around under the spare clothes he'd brought. Digging out a small box, wrapped with one of Liam's crayon drawings (scribbles), he set it in front of her. She smiled at him and carefully undid the tape holding Liam's artwork onto the box. Curious at the slight rattle she heard as she moved the box, she lifted the lid. Among the tissue was a set of keys attached to a yellow and red surfboard keychain. Her eyes went wide. "You didn't, Nate!" "Didn't what?" he asked, innocently. "Didn't buy a large amount of property on Kauai with a huge house on it? Didn't stock it with horses and caretakers and maids and a cook? Didn't give us our own private beach with plenty of pounding blue surf and pristine sand?" He shrugged his shoulders. "Nope, sorry, I didn't." Lindy let out an excited squeal. "Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!" She threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly. "I love you so much, beloved. It almost too much." He hugged her back even tighter, overwhelmed with joy to see her so happy. "I love you, too, Lind. And I can't wait to take you there. I've only seen pictures, but I had Niko go check it out and he asked when he could move in." Nate grinned at her. "There's a huge lawn and patio, but most of it is forest and pasture, green as far as the eye can see, tons of flowering plants. We'll have to get shutters installed on the windows, and they'll probably have to be imported, so that may take a little while. But I think we could go visit in August, if you want to." Lindy was bouncing with excitement. "I'd love to! I can't wait to go. Oohh..that will be just before school starts again, so we could bring our family along too!" She kissed him again. her hands trailing down her back. When she reached the waist of the leather pants, she paused. "It's almost too much," she said, her enthusiasm dampened. "I mean, I know we're not supposed to keep score, but you bought us a house, and I only got you this." "And I'll never take them off," he murmured, kissing her softly. "Unless you ask me really nicely. Besides, that house is for me and Liam too, not just you. You don't get to live there by yourself. Even if I annoy you that much." He grinned. "And as far as I'm concerned, we can make either one of our homes the permanent one. I'll live wherever you want to." It was always amazing to her how he could soothe her with just a few words. "You're right. Let's wait and see before we pick which house were living in permanently." She kissed him lightly. "So how nicely do I have to ask you to take those pants off?" "That works," he said, immediately unzipping and unbuttoning the pants. "But you have to peel them off for me." Lindy grinned and let her hands drift to the waistband of them. "You know, that was a quandary I faced when I bought you these," she said. "I wanted them tight enough to show off your ass, but loose enough so I could do this," she slipped her hand into his fly, cupping his forming erection, "easily." His eyes slipped partially closed and he let out a soft groan, pushing himself tighter against her hand. "Mmm, that's nice." He met her gaze. "But I think you should only hold my hand in public." Lindy pouted. "You sure about that?" she said giving him a gentle squeeze. "Because I could do this all the time if you want. We'd just never go out in public again." A slow smile spread across his face. "I think we have a deal, Lind. Let's just retire to Hawaii and you can keep your hand down my pants all day." He reached out and gently cupped her breast, circling his thumb around her areola until her nipple was tight. "Unless, of course, you'd rather we don't wear clothes at all." "Hmmm...that's a tough choice," she mock frowned, pushing her breast against his fingers. "Because you look absolutely hot in these pants. But if you don't wear clothes, it would make it a lot easier for me to kneel in front of you and suck you whenever I want." His knees went weak and he almost collapsed in front of her, if not for his grip on the counter. Pinching his fingers around her nipple, he gently used it to pull her forward and attack her with his mouth, kissing her deeply, and nearly shrieking when she tightened her hand around him. She kissed him eagerly, her hand gently stroking the length of his cock. Lindy had been wanting to do this since the moment she had seen these slacks and thought of her husband in them. But as hot as he looked in them, she wanted him out of them. Now. Letting go of his cock, she worked the leather down his thighs slowly, having to peel them off of him literally. Once he was free of them, her hand resumed their slow strokes. She was turning his insides out. Unwilling to stop kissing her, or have her stop stroking him, he urged her along with him as he crouched down and began working to lower the table. After a few twists of his hand, the table top sank down to it's original position and he was able to put the cushion back on it, converting the breakfast table to a small bed. "Lay down, baby. Let me see you." Lindy gave him a wicked grin as she let go of him and pulled off her T-shirt. Then her bra followed, being tossed carelessly on the floor. She undid her jeans and shimmied them off her hips, revealing she hadn't been wearing any underwear. She hopped up on the cushions and spread her legs wide. "Like this, Nate?" He let out a shuddering exhale, his cock twitching as he stared at her. "Y-Yeah...just like that." Stepping out of his pants, he bent and grabbed them up off the floor, dusting them off, before folding them in half and setting them neatly on the counter. Kneeling on the compact bed next to her, he trailed his hand down her body, sweeping over curves and valleys. When he stopped, his finger was hovering just above her clit. Lindy sighed as his fingers traced over every one of her erogenous zones, except for the one she wanted him to touch She arched her hips, biting back a squeal as his fingers caressed her slick clit. She tried to keep quiet, not wanting to wake Liam resting in the travel crib nearby. Instead she had to content herself with a heartfelt "mmmmm." He smiled as he watched her, noting the subtle tremors in her thighs and breasts. Sliding his entire finger up and down against her clit, he slipped his hand lower and pushed two fingers inside her sex. She arched her body, lifting her hips, as he slowly moved his hand against her, keeping his fingers deep inside her. He massaged the upper wall of her sex, searching for the spot that would make her fly. She arched again, squeezing his fingers tightly. "Nate," she whimpered, squirming beneath his talented hands. Lindy tossed her head side to side as his fingers hit that one spot that only he knew how to find. He heard her sudden intake of breath and grinned devilishly, putting more intensity into his touch as he concentrated on that special spot. Every muscle in her body seemed to be bunching, tightening like a stretched rope, and she twitched as he slid his thumb across her clit, hoping to touch her everywhere at once. She arched beneath him, convulsing around his fingers. Legs trembling, she sagged back against the table, falling limp. After a few moments she lifted her head and gave him a muzzy smile. "Your turn, beloved." He smiled at her, before pulling his fingers out of her sex and popping them in his mouth. Letting out a loud moan, he sucked at his fingers audibly, slurping and smacking, until each one was clean. "I don't know about that. I may not be done with you yet." Leaning over her, he pressed his hands down on the insides of her thighs, staring at her open sex. She was still slightly distended from the his fingers, and he sucked in a sharp breath as her muscles contracted. "That sure looks delicious. I think I may have to have a sample." Lindy gave a sharp gasp as Nate's mouth descended between her legs. It was hard not to immediately wrap her legs around his head and suffocate him just to get his mouth closer to her. Especially when he was doing absolutely wicked things to her with his tongue. "Enjoying your sample, Nate?" He let out a muffled moan, sliding his hands under her ass to lift her higher. His tongue lashed her clit repeatedly, first on one side, then the other, finally tickling from underneath. He could feel her juices gathering against his chin, and was practically drowning in them when he finally pushed his tongue inside her. He lapped at her quickly, eager to catch up with the flow. She let out a shocked gasp, not expecting the sensations to peak in her again so quickly. But they did. Trembling and whimpering, she came under his talented assault, especially when the tip of his tongue flicked against the spot inside of her. He continued to lap at her, while lightly pressing against her anus with his fingertips. He rubbed in tight circles, holding on to her as she squirmed in his grip. Lifting his head slightly, he scrubbed his tongue over her clit, slowly bringing her down from her high, his eyes locked with hers as she settled back to the bed. Her eyes were wide and unfocussed as she felt the pillows cushion her once more. But their feeling couldn't compare with being pillowed against his body. She made a small beckoning gesture with her hand. "Come on up here, Nate." He lifted up to kneel over her once more, spreading her legs wide once again. Taking hold of his cock, he rubbed the head back and forth over her clit, his eyes closed as the sensations washed over him. He couldn't wait anymore to be inside her. He pushed himself into the opening of her sex, watching her become engorged on him, and let out a low moan as he kept pushing deeper. She was deliciously tight around him, and he grabbed her ankles to keep her drawn as he seated himself deep inside her. She didn't think he would ever stop pushing inside. Lindy tried to keep her legs wide as she clenched him tightly. He felt stone hard within her, and his balls were scorchingly hot against her ass. But if anything she tried to pull him in even deeper. Nate bit his tongue, trying to keep from flooding her immediately. Settling down over her body, already breathing heavily, he let her legs wrap around his waist and nuzzled his nose against hers. Her kiss was incredibly sweet, and he couldn't stop tasting her, sucking at her tongue, as he gently rocked his hips against hers. She let out soft whimpers in time to her strokes. She wanted all she could get of him, to hold him as closely and as deeply as she could. Her sex clenched him on each withdrawal, loathe to let him go even for a moment. Her mouth and tongue dueled with his, trying to encourage him to stay near. Lindy held on tightly with her arms and legs. Sensitive from her first two orgasms, it didn't take much to push her into a third intense one. She squealed as she convulsed underneath him, still not trying to let him go. She wanted him to feel every twitch, every spasm, every caress. Gritting his teeth, Nate kept moving, gyrating, twitching inside her, his orgasm tingling just at the bottom of his spine. He pressed his lips hard against hers, kissing her when he finally started to cum. The shockwaves rolled over him, and he let out a startled cry, his hips spasming against hers. Lindy threw her head back and let out a second small yell, cumming yet again. She continued to push against him, rubbing against him until completely sated and exhausted. Then she lay limply beneath him, her open mouth pressed to his neck Slipping his hand under her head, Nate pressed her mouth tighter to his neck, encouraging her to drink, and gasping when she bit in. He moaned, lying heavily on top of her, finding just as much or maybe even more satisfaction in her feeding as he did in his own orgasm. She eagerly swallowed his rich blood. Lindy hadn't realized that she needed to feed until Nate offered himself. She sucked eagerly until sated. Then she tilted her neck back, offering him the same opportunity. He bit in to her neck with such gentleness, she barely felt it until he started to drink. Softly stroking her face, shoulders, and side, he let her feel through his hands how wonderful she tasted, and how happy she made him. After only a few minutes, he pulled back to lap at the wound until it healed, then wrapped his arms tightly around her and rolled on to his back. Lindy sighed in contentment and snuggled down on top of him. Her arms were tight around his neck and she looked up at him through a curtain of blond hair. She stretched against him like a cat settling for a nap. "Happy anniversary, Nathaniel Rudenko." "And to you, my beloved wife." Anton waited nervously with Bryn and Max for Jess to arrive. They had asked the werewolf to perform another mindscan, to make sure that Katerina was doing well. Dr. Anne had already performed an amniocentesis and they were waiting for the results. But they couldn't wait. They asked Jess to come over, and she agreed. Laying back on the couch, her eyes closed, Bryn tried to imagine that she could talk to Katerina herself. Even though she'd gained a small amount of weight, and her morning sickness had already passed, she still didn't feel very pregnant. It had been the same with Max for quite a while. It wasn't easy to imagine someone was living inside you. Especially when they'd hoped so much. She jumped slightly when Petunia laid her head on her stomach, tail wagging lazily. Petting the dog's head, Bryn tried to calm her nerves. Nothing would be wrong. She had to keep telling herself that. Anton quit checking the window every five minutes. Jess had said she would be over shortly after 9:00 PM, and it was only 8:45 PM. Dragging a chair close to the couch, he sat down beside Bryn and began stroking her hair. "How are you feeling, my dear? Nervous?" She nodded. "My stomach is churning. If I were at work, I'd be going home sick right now. But I'm already here." Swallowing heavily, she turned on her side. "I kept having weird dreams today. I can't remember what they were about, but I still have the feelings they produced. They made me really sad." Anton continued to stroke back her hair, trying to soothe her. "I'm sorry, my dear," he whispered as he leaned over to kiss her forehead. "Is there anything I can do to cheer you up? Make you feel better?" She scooted over until she was pressed tight against the back of the couch. "Will you lay down with me for a little while? I'd feel better if you were holding me." She dipped her chin as her eyes grew watery. "I just need you." Without another word Anton climbed onto the couch next to her. He tucked her head underneath his chin and held her close. "I'm here, my dear, I'm here for you." He gently kissed the top of her head. "Why didn't you tell me this morning that something was wrong?" She shrugged, sniffling, and wrapped her arms around him, fisting her hands in the soft fabric of his shirt. She couldn't help shivering, even though he was nearly hot against her cheek. "It didn't seem that bad this morning. Then I remembered we were going to do this today, and I got nervous." Rubbing her nose against his shirt, she snuggled closer and let out a sigh. "Besides, I don't like feeling hormonal. I wanted to ignore it." He kissed the top of her again, rubbing her back lightly. "It'll be okay, my dear. It will be okay." Anton held her gently, keeping her tucked closed to him. Both Max in his playpen and Petunia on the floor had gone quiet, not disturbing the stillness of the moment. He didn't move when he heard the sound of the front door opening. Nor when he heard the sound of footsteps coming towards them. "Is this a bad time?" Jess's voice inquired. "No," Bryn said, quietly, reluctant to let Anton go. "There's some coffee in the kitchen if you want some. Is the couch okay, or should I go upstairs?" "The couch is fine." Jess looked at Anton, who was still holding her tight. "Would you like to stay? We can try this with you present, and if I can't do it, we can try again without you here." Anton nodded. He sat up, repositioning himself so Bryn was laying across his lap "Are you sure you want to do this? I know it's a risk to you." The werewolf bitch shrugged. "And what isn't a risk? I'll take my chances." She smiled at Bryn. "I want you to get comfortable. You remember how we did this last time? I want you to make your mind as blank as possible. Yours too, Anton." Bryn nodded, staying close to Anton. She took hold of his shirt again, finding comfort in keeping her hand occupied. Taking several deep breaths, she tried to image nothing but a white fog, dense like clouds, surrounding her until she could see nothing else. Yet even though she was all alone in that place, she felt tethered to Anton and Max, and Petunia too, and that felt wonderful. Jess took a deep breath as she settled down on the floor near Bryn's midsection. She pulled back Bryn's shirt a bit so she could touch bare skin. Taking another deep breath, she closed her eyes and launched her mind outward. It was hard not to explore this simple canine mind nearby. Nor renew the bond between her and Max. The adult minds before her were also tantalizing, but she focused on that spark underneath her hand. Much like Max, there was no pain or fear or discomfort radiating from it. Just a curiosity about who and what Jess was. Anton watched, amazed at the blissful smile the female werewolf was wearing. He became slightly worried as the werewolf started leaning towards Bryn, but didn't stop her as she rested her forehead against his wife's stomach. Eventually her dark eyes opened. "Congratulations," Jess said. "You have a healthy baby girl." Bryn let out a soft sob, opening her eyes to grab Anton's hand and hold on tight. She hadn't realized just how worried she'd been, and looked at Jess with wet eyes. "Thank you, Jess. I feel much better now." Anton squeezed her hand just as tightly. "Yes, thank you, Jess." The werewolf nodded. "Unless there's anything else you'd like me to check, I'll be going." She didn't mention that she wanted to gain some distance. That in addition to the emotions she was picking up Max, she was starting to sense another set of emotions. Bryn sat up a little bit, wishing Jess didn't have to leave so soon. "Did--did she tell you anything? Or try to communicate somehow?" "She did," Jess said slowly. "She wanted to know who I was, like Max. But it was emotions, mostly curiosity." Still sitting on the table, she crossed her legs, sighing heavily. "And I can still feel it." Anton's eyebrows lifted. "Still feel it?" Jess nodded. "I'm connected with Max somehow, and probably this little one now. I can feel his emotions, and I think he can feel mine. And more than emotions..." She trailed off, seemingly hesitant to speak about whatever else she was experiencing. Bryn wasn't so sure she liked the sound of that. Maybe it was selfishness, but she didn't really want anyone having such a strong bond with her children--other than her and Anton. Scooting up a bit more, she leaned back against him and relaxed only when he settled his arm around her waist. "What do you mean?" "I've been having dreams," Jess began slowly. "Dreams that I've never had before. Different countries, people I've never met, except for you Anton. But your younger in them. I don't know how I know, but I do. I've had these dreams every night, except that the nights that you've been out of town. I think they're Max's dreams." Confused, Bryn looked at Anton. He didn't look any more enlightened than she did. Turning her attention back to Jess, she said, "Why couldn't they just be your dreams? I didn't know babies could dream like that?" "Because I don't speak, let alone dream, in idiomatic German, Bryn." Jess ran her hands through her hair. "But they don't seem like dreams per se. The feel more like...memories." "Memories," Anton repeated. They had joked about Max being the reincarnation of someone, but he hadn't seriously considered it. "You're always the same person in the dream?" He watched as Jess nodded. "Do you know who?" Jess shook her head. "I don't know." "Maybe you should look in the mirror next time." Bryn's joke fell a little flat. Squirming uncomfortably, she got up from the couch and picked up Max from his crib. He snuggled easily against her chest, but his eyes were on Jess. She had to wonder if they were sharing private thoughts just then. "Maybe you should talk to Mulder about it. Could be a past life thing. Nate might be able to talk to Zenobia for you." "Yeah, I'll do that. Both talk to Mulder and Nate, and look in the mirror." She reached out and gently tousled Max's head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to burden you with this. I'm probably making something big out of nothing. " "Jess, would you do me a favor?" Anton asked. "Would you start writing down your dreams, if you're okay with me reading them? We might be able to confirm if they are dreams or memories that way." Jess nodded. "I'll do my best." Sitting back down next to Anton, Bryn let Max slide down to stand in front of her, clinging to her pant leg. "Maybe he did know Anton at some other time. Did they seem to be friends, in your dreams?" Yeah. I wish I spoke German. The one thing I know is that in the dreams, I'm a male. And I'm a vampire." Jess frowned thoughtfully. "And there's a redheaded woman who I think is my lover. And Anton. But other than that, I can't say anything for certain." Anton frowned at the description. It wasn't much for him to go on. The description could have fit many people he had known at one time or another. Hopefully the dream journal Jess would begin to keep would clear that up. Tiredly, Jess smiled at them. "Don't look so serious. I'm fine, really. I didn't mean to lay anything heavy on you." The werewolf got to her feet. "I should probably be heading home now." "Thank you again, Jess," Bryn said, lightly rubbing her stomach. "You've put my mind at ease. And if there's anything we can do about the dreams...or memories, please let us know." "Thanks," Jess said. The werewolf bounced on her toes. "I should get going. I'll see myself out," she added as Anton started to rise. "I'll talk to you later." "Good night," Anton called after Jess as she turned to leave. He then turned his attention to Bryn, gently stroking her side. "I wasn't expecting that, my dear. But I am so glad that Kat is fine." Nodding, Bryn leaned against him and settled her head on his shoulder. "I do feel better. Like I could eat now," she said, with a small smile. "I didn't know I'd been worrying so much." Picking up Max and cradling him close, she kissed the top of his head. "I don't know what to think about what Jess said, though." "Neither do I, Bryn." Anton stretched out, tucking Bryn close to his side. "I'm sure if she were more worried about this 'bond' she shares with Max, she'd have mentioned it before." He kissed her lightly. "But I'm like you, my dear. I didn't realize how worried I was until she said everything was okay." Rubbing her cheek against his shirt, she sighed softly. "You know what sounds good? For all of us to go upstairs for a little while to have a nap. We could snuggle up together for a few hours and then come down and make dinner. How does that sound to you?" "That sounds wonderful, my dear." Scooping her onto his lap, Anton lifted as he stood up and walked towards the stairs. "Just some time for all of us to be together." End Chapter One Hundred Twenty <- Previous Chapter | Home | Next Chapter ->