 |
 Chapter One Hundred Fifty-two Anton put out the bowl of nuts on the table, wondering when the werewolves would arrive. He and Bryn had asked them to come over to run the idea by them. He wasn't certain what their feelings on the matter. "Bryn?" he called. "Have you discussed this with anyone?" "Yeah, with Lindy." Pulling Max's pants back up after changing his diaper, she settled his feet on the floor and stood herself. "She wasn't exactly concrete one way or the other, so I guess we just have to ask them." Heading for the kitchen, she tossed the soiled diaper in the trash and washed her hands. "Why? Do you think it's a bad idea?" "No, I think it's a good idea, my dear." Anton picked up Kat, carrying her to the playpen. He started to put her down, but was greeted with a wail the moment Kat's feet touched the ground. Frowning, he picked her back up, and she stopped crying. He lowered her again, and the crying started again. He picked her up, and let out a sigh as Kat smiled. "It just might be a bit of a shock for them to hear that someone is planning a wedding for them." Bryn frowned, wiping her hands on a paper towel. "I hope they don't totally hate the idea. Because it's pretty much my only idea." Walking back to the couch, she ruffled Max's hair and hugged him when he clung to her shirt. "I'm sure they'll love it, my dear." Anton lowered Kat to the floor, and then quickly lifted her again. Hearing a knock at the door, he started to the front hall, still holding his daughter. "That should be them, my dear. I'll get it." She grinned as she watched him carry Kat to the door. Turning her attention to Max, she said, "I think we may have created a monster with your sister, sweet pea. Daddy's going to be carrying her around when she's thirty." "Don't even joke about that, my dear." Anton unlocked the door and opened it. And smiled when he saw the pack of werewolves. "Come on in." "Thanks for having us over," Jess said with a smile. She reached out for Kat, who immediately leaned towards her the moment the baby saw the werewolf. "To what do we owe this pleasure," she asked as she settled Kat on her hip and Walter and Alex stepped inside. Bryn smiled, waving them towards the living room. "Come in and get comfortable. We have a bit of a surprise for you. Or at least maybe a surprise...if you want it." She let go of Max as he also hurried over to greet Jess. Passing Kat over to Walter, Jess scooped up Max. "What kind of surprise?" Alex asked. "Lilith's head on a pike, perhaps?" "If I could produce that, believe me, I would." Oddly shy all of the sudden, Bryn scooted a little bit closer to Anton. "Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of a wedding...for the three of you." All three werewolves looked slightly stunned as they sat down. "A wedding?" Jess repeated. "We had been considering a small ceremony to make things as official as we can," Walter said. "But when things happened and we really haven't had a chance to talk about it since we got back." "So you have thought about it? Would you consider letting us pay for it and set it up for you? Of course, all creative input would be yours, but we'd really like to do this, to thank you for all you've done for us." The three werewolves shared a slightly uncertain look. Anton slipped his hand into Bryn's and squeezed. He hoped they would say yes, that they would enjoy Bryn's idea. And it appeared that the three were having similar thoughts. "Let's do it," Jess said. She adjusted Max on her lap, who was trying to figure out why he wasn't the center of attention. "Of course," Jess added with a playful sparkle in her eye. "This means that we'll actually have to figure out what we want to do. Not to mention be stuck with each other for a long time." Bryn rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure you'll have a real problem with that." Squeezing Anton's hand in return, she smiled at him. "Well, there's one task started." "And we don't know how to thank you for it," Jess said. "Like Walter said, we've been discussing it, but we never seem to get anything done on it." Bryn waved a hand. "There's absolutely no need for you to thank us. This is us thanking you. I just hope everything works out. Any idea what time of year you'd like to do this?" Walter replied winter almost in the same breath that Jess replied spring. Alex rolled his eyes. "I think we're going to need a little to discuss things before we're ready to plan out the details." Bryn smiled. "That's not a problem. Take all of the time you need. We have another set of plans to tend to as well, now that my mother will be moving here." "Moving... here?" Jess said, pointing at the floor. "I knew she was moving to the area, but I didn't realize she'd be so close," she added when Anton nodded. "Is she going to be living in this house?" Bryn sighed. "Unfortunately, yes...for a little while, anyway. We're thinking about building her a house on the property. Mostly because she'll be moving to the area anyway, and I'd feel safer if she was away from Natasha's reach." "Has there been any world about Natasha?" Alex asked. "No," Anton said. "She's still laying low. Other than Marrok's information that she was threatening his daughter, there has been no sign of her." "Better to be safe than sorry," Bryn said. Anton squeezed Bryn's hand in agreement. "She's not disappeared, but is readying to strike again." "We're never going to get rid of all of them. Just because Lilith and Marrok seem to be out of our lives for the moment doesn't mean we're safe. It would just be so nice for once to be able to feel normal." "What's normal?" Jess asked with a lopsided grin. She bounced Kat on one knee while rubbing Max's head. "Being able to take a breath without looking over my shoulder." Bryn scooted a bit closer to Anton, resting her cheek on his shoulder. "Honestly, I'm more worried about my family than myself. I would hate to think that she would ever put our kids in danger, but she's done it before." All three werewolves expressions grew grim. "Not while we're around," Walter said in a low voice, almost a growl. Bryn smiled slightly. "Well, if we could just drag you around with us twenty-four hours a day, that would be great." "We'll get to work on cloning ourselves right away," Alex smiled. Anton smiled as well. "I can't tell you how comforting that thought is." He had promised Bryn that he had he would do this. Had told Bryn that it was time. But still, sitting across from Mulder, Anton was having a hard time finding the words to say to get the process started. Mulder, sitting across from him, was also feeling awkward and slightly out of his element. In the beginning, Anton hadn't been the most forthcoming person...since the incident in Australia, he appeared to be even more closed off. "So, Anton...why don't you start by telling me what made you want to come see me tonight." Anton took a deep breath. It was pointless for them to both sit and stare at each other. "I know I have to deal with what happened to me in Australia," he said slowly. "I can't let this eat at me like I've let others. I can't let it interfere with my relationship with Bryn or my children." "So...if it didn't interfere with them, you'd be content to just forget about it? Or is this something you need to do for you, as well?" Anton nodded. "It's easier for me to be motivated to do something about it if I think of Kat and Liam and Bryn. But it is something that I have to do for myself." "We didn't have a whole lot of chances to discuss your earlier childhood issues in depth. As much as I'd like to continue on that path, I think this takes precedence. Let's talk about the night you were captured by Lilith's guards."
"The whole family? What happened once you were in there?" "We waited for the inevitable." Anton said it flatly, although he could still feel the terror of that night. Could hear the fear in Bryn's voice. And the terror in his children's whimpers. "I wanted to leave to fight them off, to try to draw them away from where Bryn and the kids were hidden, but Bryn begged me to stay. So I did, and I waited." He took another deep breath. "I never felt so helpless in my life." Mulder nodded, realizing he was treading on thin ice. "And when they found you, they took you to Australia right away? Were you separated immediately?" "Not before we saw them shoot Alex in the back of the head. We didn't know for a long time if he had survived or not. They left Petunia behind and hustled us all into a van. We were driven to the airport in separate cars, but we were allowed to be together for most of the flight. And we stayed together until we reached Lilith's compound." "Knowing, all the while, that it might be one of the last times you saw each other. And once on land, at Lilith's estate, you were separated then?" He nodded again, staring down at his hands resting on his knees. "I was taken down to the basement, which she had outfitted like a dungeon. I had two guards at night, and during he day there was a sunbeam reflected just outside the door. There was no way out. I didn't think I'd get to see Bryn other than at the trial." One hand shifted slightly. "Seth managed to sneak her in to see me once, after the trial but before the sentencing. That was when I Transformed her." Mulder had at first assumed that Bryn was Transformed shortly after Anton was acquitted of his charges, but he'd soon learned otherwise. But he would get back to that topic in a moment. "Did Lilith come to visit you herself, while you were incarcerated?" "No. I only saw her at the trial as well. The only time I was alone with her, if it could be called that, was during the execution itself." He paused and closed his eyes. "It was hopeless, of course, but I wanted to go down fighting. I didn't want Bryn to see me just give up." Mulder was a bit surprised Lilith hadn't taken the opportunity to visit Anton face to face, to grind more fear in to him while she had him prone. It seemed like something she would relish. Then again, maybe she realized it might be scarier if he was left to wonder what was coming. "Tell me about the trial. Was it real, or did she stage it for your benefit?" "It was a farce of justice, and we all knew it." There was a surprising bitterness in Anton's voice. "The only reason she staged it was to legitimize killing me so she could take custody of Max and Kat. Hadrian did his best, but the outcome was practically set in stone from the start." He'd expected as much. "What did you say to your wife, after the trial?" "There wasn't much time to speak with her, other than to tell her how much I loved her, to tell the children how much I love them, and that somehow I would return to her." Anton's head dropped as he rested his clasped hands between his knees. "I think it was then I really gave up hope. I continued to fight, but I knew it was inevitable." "It can't have been easy saying good-bye after being married just over a year. And with young children, as well. Did you spend that last day alone?" Anton nodded, anger creeping into his voice. "And all I could think of was how damn unfair everything was. How Bryn and I were supposed to have an eternity together. How at least I was supposed to see my children grow up. How I just had started a relationship with Nathaniel again. And that it wasn't damn fair." "Were you scared, Anton? For yourself, and your family?" He nodded. "More for my family at first, but the closer it got to when sentence was to be pronounced, the more my fear grew. I had seen other executions performed, and I knew exactly what was going to happen to me." He let out a sigh. "Sometimes I still wonder if this isn't some hallucination as I lay dying on that arena floor." "Even if you'd seen it before, you had to be afraid of dying, Anton. Of not knowing what was to come. You were given a second chance as a vampire. You never saw what lay beyond that. Weren't you afraid that the promise you'd made was false...that you couldn't just come back?" "Of course," Anton said. "There was always the chance that I wouldn't be able to come back and keep my promise to Bryn. There was always the chance that I would...." His voice was low and quiet. "The priest of my father's estate scared me as a young boy with his stories of hell and the punishment of the damned. And Ivan had told me that as vampires we had no chance at redemption. And those stories and tales came back to me as I sat in that cell. And I couldn't help but wonder..." "Wonder if your punishment had finally come?" When Anton nodded, Mulder pushed a little further. "Are you still afraid, Anton? You said you sometimes worry this is all a dream, surviving. Do you still fear Lilith will try to take your children and end your life?" He nodded again. "As long as Lilith exists, she will be plotting vengeance. In some ways it's worse than Natasha. She is a child compared to what Lilith is capable of. Lilith would take my children, but..." his voice dropped lower. "She wouldn't kill me right away. She would kill Bryn first in front of me, and then let me live a while longer. She's been rumored to have done that before." Mulder sat back, a bit annoyed that no matter what question he asked, Anton remained as calm and nearly emotionless. There was a thick wall built around his feelings that it might take a bulldozer to break through. Unfortunately, Mulder was required to use much more finesse. Drumming his fingers on his stomach, he said, "What are the chances of Lilith's escape, or even release? Very slim, wouldn't you say?" "You don't know her." Anger was starting to seep into his voice, but it was tempered with a fear and a weariness. "The council system was created more to rubber stamp whatever she wanted while still giving the rest of the Empire an illusion of us actually having power to influence her. There are those who would overlook her actions because their power is dependent on hers." "You fear her taking power again?" That explained something Bryn had mentioned about Anton possibly thinking about running for the emperor's position. "Do you fear being in danger now, from those who are loyal to her?" "No. I hadn't actually thought of that." Anton rested his head in his forehead. "I just feel so tired right now. I'm being strong for Bryn, for Max, for Kat, for Nathaniel, for Lindy, and I'm not sure how much longer I can keep things up." He looked up at Mulder. "Did you know that Bryn was shocked that I didn't throw a fit when I found out her mother was moving here? I was just too busy holding things together to devote any energy to that." "I can't say that I blame her...but I certainly understand where you're coming from. You're still in shock, just trying to process what happened. The grief comes later. Then the anger. You're not even ready to throw a fit yet." Mulder smiled slightly. "But did it ever occur to you that their lives are on hold while they wait for you to catch up?" "I know it here," he said, tapping his head. "But I don't know how to break through this numbness here." This time a finger tapped over his heart. "And I don't know how long I'll feel half alive." "It may take a while. As long as you're honest with yourself and your feelings, you'll get through it. Talking about it is a great first step." Mulder cross his legs loosely, clearing his throat. "Are you ready to talk about the execution?" While Mulder's body language was open, Anton's became more closed. He seemed to pull into himself, legs closer to the chair, and arms crossed over his stomach. "I don't know if I'm ready," he said. "But I need to," he said. "Okay. Why don't you start simple...when were you summoned to the...staging area?" "Summoned isn't the right word. I was dragged there at first, but then decided that it would be better that I show up on my feet. My hands were tied behind my back, right up until they left. I had been in a mostly dark room, so at first I could barely see." His eyes seemed to go out of focus as he remembered. "I could hear the crowd, and i knew I should have been watching for where Lilith would come from. But the only thing I could do was look for Bryn." Mulder dipped his chin. "She was a witness to everything that happened?" Anton nodded. "She was there. Part of me wished that she hadn't been there, that she hadn't seen it, but in an odd way, it was a comfort that I wasn't alone." He dropped his head slightly. "Or at least I did until Lilith appeared." Gesturing for him to continue, Mulder listened intently. He was giving Anton a chance to purge his soul and get it all out. "Before Lilith appeared, I knew it was over. But I still fought. I had no hope, but still I fought. And for a few seconds, I actually held my own, until she broke my hands. And then stripped me." A shiver ran through his body. "And for a moment, I was a child being attacked again." "Tell me about that. Did you slip away from the moment, or were they just the same sensations of fear and helplessness?" "I think I slipped away for the moment. It felt the same. And the fact that I was feeling light headed from blood loss didn't help. I was able to throw her off for a second, but then she was right back. And she bit me on..." His face flushed a deep red and he couldn't look at Mulder an more than he complete the sentence. Mulder was about to ask him to continue until he realized what Anton meant...and suddenly crossed his legs a lot tighter. Wincing, he tried not to imagine how painful that must have been. "Um...okay. Let's keep going. What happened after that?" "That's when Bryn managed to get into the ring. At that point I was so weak from blood loss, I wasn't certain if it was really her. I think Jess was also in the arena, but I can't be certain. I'm not sure what happened next for certain. Everything from then is hazy until I woke up the next day in the suite with Bryn." "Did you know what was happening then; what had saved you?" "Not at first. And we didn't know that I hadn't been saved. We were all making plans to try to slip out. We were afraid at any moment that I would be dragged back to the arena for Lilith to finish what she had started." Mulder shook his head in disbelief. "I'm not at all surprised you're still afraid of her. You do realize that you have good reason to be, don't you? You should not be ashamed of your feelings." "I don't know," Anton said, clearly uncertain. "I had been raised to view fear as a weakness, that I should just ignore what was done to me, to never speak of it and go on as if nothing had changed." For the first time during their discussion, his voice started to break. "And yet, every time I look at Bryn and Max and Kat, I know how close I came to losing everything..." "And it was beyond your control, Anton. A lot of people who were sexually abused as children tend to blame themselves for what happened. They either think they didn't fight back hard enough, or they did something to deserve it. Some even think it's their fault because they were too sexy or too much of a temptation. And this is coming from a child. What they have trouble reconciling is that children are very vulnerable and very malleable. They want to please adults and obey them. They trust adults not to harm to them. How can someone be blamed for that? Your situation is no different today that it was when you were a child, Anton. None of this is your fault. You couldn't prevent it by running, and you can't prevent the emotions you have by pushing them away, either." As Mulder spoke, Anton curled forward, his head in his hands. He was rocking back and forth. "Then why doesn't he pain stop? If it's not my fault, why does it hurt so much?" Tears were leaking out of the corners of his eyes as the walls surrounding his emotions crumbled. Mulder sat forward, his voice soft as he said, "Because you know you didn't deserve it, Anton. And neither did your family." He reached his hand out to squeeze Anton's shoulder, before handing over the tissue box. "I don't think you'll have any objections to finishing for today. I'll let your wife in. She's been waiting patiently." Accepting the box, Anton nodded without looking up. He started to pull himself together, but stopped. It was such a relief to let go, to not keep a tight rein on his emotions, that he didn't stop. Bryn had asked him to do this before, and there was no reason to hide this from her. When Mulder finally opened the door and Bryn could see inside the room, she felt like punching him for making her sugar cry. But she realized that he'd done exactly what she'd asked him to...to help Anton heal. Hurrying inside as he held the door for her, she walked to where Anton was sitting as Mulder closed the door to give them privacy. "Anton?" she asked, quietly, "will you let me hold you, sugar?" He didn't answer her with words. Instead he wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his head against her stomach. His tears began flowing freely. He clung to her tighter as Anton sobbed, letting all the pain and misery go. Holding back her own tears, Bryn wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed her lips to the top of his head. She hated seeing him so sad, but having him bottle in his feelings was much worse. Rubbing a hand over his back in a soothing motion, she murmured, "I love you so much, sugar. And I'm so proud of you." He didn't hear her words so much as the soothing lilt in her voice. Anton clung to her tighter, trying to release all his tears and fears, holding back nothing. She was his rock in this storm of emotion, the one person he could cling to in trust. Her heart was breaking with every sob. Rubbing her wet cheek against her shoulder, she finally sank down on to her knees and let him lean heavily against her. She pressed her lips to his ear and pulled her hair to the side, baring her neck to him if he chose to take a comforting drink. He pressed his lips to her neck for a moment, but he wasn't ready to take her blood just yet. Instead he let his forehead rest against her shoulder as his sobs wound down to silence. Eventually his tears stopped flowing, but he still held onto her tightly, as if afraid she would disappear. "Do you want to go home, sugar? We can use the tunnel. Then I'll make you whatever you want for dinner, if you're hungry." She realized how stupid that sounded, but comfort food always worked for her. He wasn't certain that he was actually hungry, but Anton nodded. She was doing her best to make him feel loved, and it was working very well. Slowly he loosened his arms around her, but he didn't lose contact with her. "Let's go home, my dear." Squeezing him close to her as he stood up, she tried to remember just where the tunnel entrance was in the werewolves' guest house. For a moment she wasn't even sure it had one, until Anton led her to the bookcase next to the fireplace. Pulling it back, she considered telling Mulder they were leaving but decided against it. He'd figure it out sooner or later. "Do you feel any better?" she asked, not really expecting him to. "I feel..." he paused, trying to come up with a fitting word as he pulled the bookcase back into its place. "Purged. Like a weigh had been lifted from me. And exhausted," he admitted. She nodded. "Well, I hate to tell you this, but I think you may have just scratched the surface of it. We've both got a lot of stuff to purge." Anton let out a low moan as he started down the tunnel back towards their house. "I'm really looking forward to that," he said rolling his eyes. "But not tonight. I don't think i can handle anything else tonight." "And you don't have to." She rubbed his back as they continued to walk. "I'm very proud of you, you know. You didn't have to do that, but you did it anyway, because you love me and the kids. And I'm incredibly grateful. And I love you very, very much, too." Anton leaned closer to her. "I love you very much too, my dear." Reaching the entrance to their home, he opened it. "I'm so glad that you're here with me right now. Not that I'd expect you to be anywhere else, Bryn, but It's nice to have someone to lean on." "I'll always be here for you. I believe that now more than ever. Nothing is going to separate us. We won't let it happen. No matter what other crap we get in to, we're together forever." "Amen," Anton intoned. He grabbed her hand, threading his fingers through hers, and lifted her hand to his lips. He pressed her knuckles to his lips. "I will love you forever, Bryn." She couldn't help bouncing slightly as she lifted to kiss his lips. Happiness was filling her chest like helium. "So what would you like now? You want me to make you something to eat?" Anton nodded. "Do we have any hamburgers?" For some reason, ground beef sounded very appealing to him at the moment. She arched an eyebrow at his odd choice, but said, "I think we do. We could even break out the frier and have some fries with it. Is that what you want?" "That sounds good, my dear." Anton guided her towards the kitchen. He slumped down on one of the stools by the counter, letting out a heavy sigh. "That was a lot harder than I expected it to be, Bryn." "I know. I don't think therapy is ever supposed to fun or easy. Otherwise we'd never have a reason to go." She forward from the other side of the counter and squeezed his hands. "Tell you what, since Jess still has the kids, why don't we go pick up some hamburgers instead? I'll drive if you don't feel like it. And then we'll just sit in the car and talk." He thought about it for a moment. Getting out of the house and away from the situation for a while. "That sounds like a good idea, my dear. And yes, please do drive." He stood up, a half smile on his face as he walked around the counter to put his arm around her waist. "Which car do you want to take?" "The Jag," she said, grinning. Holding her hand out, she waited for him to grab his keys. "Where would you like to eat?" "Let's go to In-N-Out. Their burgers always hit the spot. Plus their french fries are the best." They went to the garage, and he handed over the keys. As they got in the car, she pressed the button to open the roll-up door. "So do you feel like talking about it at all, with me?" "No, but I should." Anton took a deep breath. It was similar to talking to Mulder, but he feel more relaxed around Bryn. The trust level was much higher between the two vampire lovers than the old vampire and the newly Transformed one. "He had me start with the night that we were captured, and we went all the way through the execution." She swallowed heavily as she reversed out of the garage and started down the long driveway. "I didn't think he'd get that far in one night. And you don't have to talk about this if you don't want to. You've already done enough for the night." "We didn't go in too deep. But it was still exhausting." He sat back in the seat, enjoying the fact that he was a passenger. He looked over at Bryn and gave her a grin. "I should let you drive more often, my dear." She smiled back at him. "Just don't fall asleep on me." She was snuggled up on the couch, half-asleep, when she heard the noise. Blinking fuzzy eyes, she listened quietly for a moment and then relaxed once more. [Probably just the house creaking.] Settling her head in to the pillow, she was grateful she'd let the kids stay with their aunt and uncle for a few hours. Now she'd get some undisturbed rest...at least until Anton got home. He had slipped into the house unheard, and was watching from the shadows of the hallway. Anton had cursed himself when he stepped on the squeaky board he had yet to fix, but Bryn didn't seem to pay any mind to it. Which was just how he wanted it for the moment. A smile flitted across his face as his eyes roamed up and down her body. Oh the things he intended to do to her, but first to wait and savor the moment properly... Closing her eyes, Bryn rubbed her cheek against the couch pillow and let out a sigh. A nice long nap would be the perfect end to the day. Well, until Anton got home anyway. Then she could think of an entirely different way to end the day. Smiling to herself, she wiggled around to get comfortable and grew quiet in the empty house. He waited for her to settle, and when her eyes were shut, he swiftly and silently moved in on his prey. One hand clamped over her mouth, the other slipped under her waist to heft her up and over her his shoulder. Not saying a single word, he started to the bookcase that hid the entrance to the tunnel connecting the houses. She'd screamed against his hand until she realized who he was. Frowning, she went limp as he pulled her over his shoulder. "Anton, what are you doing?" He didn't answer, but kept walking. Arms free, she swatted his ass. "Put me down, you fool." Anton's response was a growl and a shake of his shoulder. Letting go of her mouth, he pulled the book that let the door swing open. Ignoring the swats to his ass, he continued down the stairs without saying a word. "An-ton! You're making me have to pee!" Another growl and shake was his response. Unmoved by the complaint/threat, he continued down the tunnels, the lanterns hung on the wall every ten feet the only lighting. Relentlessly, he strode onward to where he had left some supplies that would make this little game he had in mind even more enjoyable. Reaching where he had left a small gym bag, he lowered her feet to the ground. But he didn't let her get away. Pinning her against the wall with his side, he reached into his front pocket and pulled out a set of handcuffs. One metallic bracelet was snapped on her wrist and then her arms were lifted. The chain of the cuffs was threaded over a hook, and the other bracelet locked in place on her other arm. Only then did he step back and smile at his handiwork. "What the...?" She stared up at her bound hands, tugging on the chain. Giving him a dry look, she said, "Ha ha, very funny. What's--" She'd been about to ask him what was going on when she noticed the devilish glint in his glowing eyes. Not to mention the lethal points of his fangs. Her heart pounding, she couldn't help smiling slightly. "You...aren't going to feed on me, are you?" She tried to sound as helpless and weak as she could, in front of her handsome, virile vampire. He smiled slowly, allowing his fangs to be displayed in their deadly glory. "You've just been taken captive by a vampire who has two very strong hungers. Ones that focus here," he lightly touched the pulse of her neck as his eyes glowed brighter at the mere thought of blood. "And here." The same hand just briefly cupped between her legs. "The question isn't if you're going to sate that hunger, but which one." He was definitely in an interesting mood. Lucky for her. Despite his voiced discomfort at her earlier request, he was trying his best to please her by showing more of his vampiric nature. And she almost couldn't contain her excitement. "I can't wait to find out." Inwardly he was pleased that she had caught onto his game, he made sure to stay in character. "Don't be so sure," he warned as he bent down to lick her neck. Lightly his tongue traced over her pulse point as he crouched to rub his body against hers. Fingers brushed hair aside and the tip of his fang could be felt pressing against her skin, threatening to pierce it at any moment. The pinching sensation made her catch her breath and lean her neck a little further to the side. Fingers curling with the need to pull him closer, she quietly said, "What are you going to do to me?" "I am going to do one of several things," he mused, almost to himself. "I may drain you dry. I may fuck you senseless without biting you. Or I might tease you with my fangs." He leaned forward to breathe in her ear. "You'll just have to wait and see." A strong shudder ran through her at confession. Eyes slipping closed, she leaned towards him and surrendered herself to the moment. "Do what you will. I'm yours." "Good," he whispered at her acquiescence. "Very good." His hand cupped her breast squeezed lightly. He took her tender earlobe between his teeth, nipping lightly and sucking with enough force to raise a hickey. Then he watched it heal, only to repeat the process. "Ohhh..." Squirming against him and pulling at her cuffs, Bryn pressed even closer to his body, trying to rub herself against him. But he was in a teasing mood and moved away before she could get contact. Whimpering in frustration, she opened her eyes and stared at him pleadingly. "Please." Anton stared at her as he stepped forward just far enough that he was still out of reach. His breath stirred the edges of her hairline, making it rise and fall. "That's right," he whispered as he started to pull her blouse free from her slacks. "I want to hear you beg." She had to struggle hard to keep her own eyes from glowing. Part of her wanted to fight back against him, to give as good as she got, but he was in charge of this game and she wasn't about to stop him. "Please, don't hurt me." Even as she said the words, she knew she didn't mean a bit of them. In response, he softly growled threateningly. Pulling back, he started unbuttoning her shirt. His shirt actually, recognizing the light blue pinstriped white cotton. Her breasts were pulled upwards with her arms, and he had to admit that the fabric framed them nicely. "No bra? Naughty girl." His hand cupped her breast and squeezed, and then slid down over her stomach. Inserting a finger between the hem of her pants and her stomach, he pulled them out slightly as he peered down. "How naughty are you?" Licking her lips, she felt her chest heaving with every nervous breath. "Very," she said, softly. Pushing her hips towards him, she silently urged him to pull the flannel pajama pants off of her. "Why don't you find out?" His hand slipped down to her waist out of habit before he remembered his role. "I will," he growled in a soft, threatening voice. "When I'm ready to do so." Slowly he lowered himself so his lips were even with her nipples. He rolled his tongue around her breast, fingers mimicking the motion on her other one, tips of his fangs lightly scratching her flesh. Gasping softly as his fang sliced her skin, she felt him begin sucking eagerly at the wound. Catching her breath, she let her head fall back on her shoulders. In the back of her mind, she hoped no one would decide to take the tunnel entrance to their house. But the thought was gone as quickly as it came. Pushing her chest forward, she let him have his way with her and tried to ignore the ache developing in her arms. He sucked and nipped at her breast with just a hint of fang. His fingers slipped down to tangle in her pajama bottoms and slowly started to pull them down her legs. He didn't pull them all the way off though, but hobbled her ankles, leaving her legs partially spread and open to his sight and touch. Nearly naked in the darkened corridor, she felt like a sacrificial virgin. Tugging at her handcuffs again, needing to touch him, she finally gave up and rubbed her body against his. Her breasts were wet with saliva, jiggling and glistening with each lap of his tongue. As he still teased her breast, his hand drifted back up her thigh, caressing the silky skin. One finger lightly tested her moisture before slipping inside. His jaws closed, his fangs surrounding her nipple slicing into the tender flesh. Gasping even more sharply, she jumped and nearly tore loose of his bite before stilling herself. Tears sprang to her eyes, though the pain didn't last long. Whimpering, Bryn bit her lip and let her head roll against the wall. At the sound of her in pain, he dropped out of character. "Bryn?" came his worried voice. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. Don't stop, please." She swallowed heavily, staring back at him. "I just...don't want you to." Squirming against the tight metal bracelets, she panted and nodded. "You. I want you. Please." And he was erect and ready to give her what she was asking for. But not without one more question. He leaned forward again, nipping at her neck, raising small welts as his teeth scratched her skin. "And why should I give it to you?" he whispered in her ear before biting her lobe, threatening to pierce her ear. She groaned, trying to kick off the pajama bottoms so she could hook an ankle around him and draw him closer. But she had little success. "Because," she said, her voice whiny. "I need you." Making a mental note to bring along a pair of leg shackles as well next time, Anton decided that they both deserved a little reward for their play. Grabbing the leg that arced around him, he lifted her thigh higher on his hips. Stooping slightly, he let his cock rub against her thigh, teasing them both as he took her mouth in a fanged kiss. Leaning in to him, she returned his kiss aggressively...but she still didn't use her fangs. He hadn't dropped character and neither would she. Playing the seduced virgin was easy--she already had experience. Her thighs were shaking as she wrapped them around his waist and tightly squeezed. He growled again, softly this time, more like a lion's purr from the taste of blood on her kiss. Giving into his desire, he pierced her, barely pausing before he began thrusting hard and fast. "Oh!" Her head fell back so suddenly it hit the concrete wall, a solid smack sounding in the dark space. "Ow..." At the sound of her in pain, he dropped out of character again. "Bryn?" came his worried voice. "Are you okay?" "Yes," she said, blinking. "I'm just a dork." Shaking her head slightly, she laughed. "Don't stop now." "Whatever you say, my dear." Anton wrapped a hand around the back of her skull, cushioning it from further blows. Slowly he started to thrust into her body, amazed at how tight she felt. She grinned at him, amused at how quickly he could go from big, bad vampire to sweet, attentive husband. Squeezing him closer with her leg, pushed her head forward as well, pursing her lips, hoping he would kiss her. He intended to continue to tease her, to show that he was still in charge. But with the feel of her surrounding his cock, Anton finally gave in and sealed his lips to hers. Moaning, she pulled at his lips, teasing him with her tongue, until he sucked at her in rhythm with his thrusts. Her nipples were hard as rocks as they rubbed against his chest. Wishing she could wrap her arms around him, she held her legs tight around his hips and rocked her pelvis against him with every move he made. Anton started to add a little more force behind his thrusts. His other arm went around her waist, latching onto her shoulders and holding her hips tight to him. His mouth kept pace as well, caressing and licking and nipping every opportunity he got. Pulling at his tongue, Bryn moaned against his mouth. She was tempted to tell him to take the cuffs off of her, so she could wrap her arms around him. Instead, she contented herself with squeezing him inside her and rubbing against his body. She whimpered in quiet frustration, pressing herself hard on his groin. It was almost like he sensed her unspoken request. But he didn't do exactly as expected. Instead of pulling away to release her arms, Anton gave one hard thrust, lifting her high enough so he could pull her arms off the hook and let them fall around his neck. Releasing a long moan, she leaned in to his embrace and kissed him passionately, her arms tingling fiercely as the blood rushed in. "Love you...so much," she said, in a hushed whisper, between kisses. "Love you so much, my dear," he responded, forgetting the role he had assigned himself. He continued to kiss her deeply as he thrust into her. Trying to remind himself that this wasn't a race, he slowed his pace, wanting to draw out the pleasure for both of them. Grasping at the back of his shirt, she held on tightly as she nipped at his lips. He was filling her so full with his forceful thrusts, he was pushing the air right out of her lungs. And she loved every minute of it. "Yes...mmm...fuck me." Anton continued to kiss her, to move in and out of her strongly. And his hips started to speed up as her arms and legs tightened around him. "Want you to cum first," he whispered in her ear. "Need you to cum first..." She whined softly, tilting her head back again (now that she wasn't as close to the wall). Squeezing him unmercifully inside her, she shuddered at his words, trembling in to orgasm as she bared her neck to his sight. Instinct and passion took over. And because she was a vampire, he could indulge without worrying about causing her permanent harm. His fangs extended and were in her neck before he was fully conscious of the fact. And the taste of her blood as well as her squeezing him tight pushed him over the edge. Shuddering, he came hard inside of her as he took blood from her. Bryn gasped, shuddering even harder as she felt him sucking at her neck. There was a slight pain from his bite, but instead of pulling away she pressed herself even closer. Her hips twitched, still rocking against him, and she held him as he shuddered in the aftermath of orgasm. He shook, breath gusting against her skin as he continued drinking from her. But even though she was a vampire now, he had to be careful still, even though she was now more hardy than a human. It was with a supreme effort of will that made him let go. But he lingered near the wound, lightly licking her bitten flesh. Eyes closed and panting softly, she squeezed him tightly with her arms and let her forehead settle on his shoulder. "My God, sugar..." Anton pressed her against the wall. Falling out of her, he knelt long enough to slip out of her arms and retrieve the handcuff key. "Some big, bad vampire I'm turning out to be," he said with a sheepish grin as he undid her shackles. Legs slightly weak, she leaned against him and smiled at him. "I loved it, Anton. Every second of it. You were amazing. Besides, if being a big, bad vampire means you have to act like a jerk and not be concerned about me, then I'd rather you weren't one. You take perfect care of me and always have." Anton smiled softly as he kissed her lips lightly. "In that case, can i take you back up to the kitchen and take care of you by making some home made sundaes?" She smiled brightly. "That would be absolutely perfect." Pulling back a bit so she could see his face more clearly, she said, "You surprised me back there. I can't even begin to tell you how exciting that was." "I surprised me, my dear," Anton admitted. "I didn't expect to start playing this game when I saw you on the couch. But something came over me that I normally repress, and this time I decided to go with it." he added with a grin.
She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "I'm glad you did. You know, we should probably hurry up and get dressed before Nate or Lindy decide to bring the kids back." She smiled at him. "Anton, I was fine. I enjoyed it, a lot." She squeezed his hand and lifted up on her toes to kiss him softly. "I may be littler than you, but that doesn't mean I'm going to break if you're a little rough with me." Anton smiled and returned the kiss. "Does that mean I can drag you down here any time I like?" "Mmm. I won't object. But sugar, you forgot one thing...just wait until it's my turn to drag you down to the tunnels." End Chapter One Hundred Fifty-two
|