Chapter One Hundred Fifty-eight

She was feeling anxious as she made her way to Jess' home. She was supposed to go shopping, but that idea was scrapped when she realized Petunia was missing. The dog hadn't been in the library with her mother overnight, and she hadn't scratched on the door to be let in during the day. Worried about her, Bryn left the kids in her mother's care and headed over for the werewolf's help. Knocking on the door, she pulled her messy hair in to a quick ponytail and waited.

It was a few minutes before the door swung open. "Hey, Bryn," Jess said as she tugged her sweat shirt straighter. Her hair was slightly disheveled and she ran her fingers through it in an attempt to tame it. "I was just about to go out for a run. What brings you by?"

"Have you seen Petunia? She wasn't home last night...and i'm not sure when she ran off." She made a face, trying to take a deep breath and calm herself. "I just...things have been a little hectic at home, and this is the last thing we need right now."

Jess shook her head. "No, I haven't seen her." She stepped out of the house and shut the door behind her. "But we'll find her soon enough. Come on, let's go look for her."

The women started towards the pool area behind Bryn's house. "So tell me, Bryn," she said a bit hesitantly. "What else is going on? You're sounding a bit stressed."

Bryn nodded. "Anton and I had a fight last night...and I think I won. But It doesn't feel that way. I yelled at him like he was my child. And what's worse is that we both know it. He gave in, anyway. Just to make me happy." She looked at jess, shamefaced. "I think I broke his spirit."

Jess stopped walking to look at her for a moment. "Let me get this straight, Bryn," she said slowly. "You think you broke the spirit of a thousand year old vampire?"

"Jess, you didn't see the look on his face. It was as if I utterly betrayed him. And I did. I told him I would always support him, no matter what. And the minute I was really tested on that, I said no. I might as well have said that I didn't believe in him."

"Whoa, Bryn," Jess said putting a hand up. "Bryn, start from the beginning. What did Anton want to do?"

Pushing her messy, overgrown bangs out of the way, Bryn let out a soft sigh. "A couple of weeks ago, Hadrian, one of the grand council members, stopped by for a visit. It turned out the reason he was visiting was that Anton's name had been brought up...as Lilith's possible successor." She nodded at the incredulous look Jess gave her. "Anton kind of laughed it off at the time, but he started thinking about it. And yesterday, he talked to Seth about what would be involved if he agreed to take the job. He didn't...I mean, he mentioned it to me once, but I still thought it was just a passing thought. I didn't think he'd actually *want* to do it. And when I found out he did, I flipped out."

Jess blinked in surprise. "He wanted to do it?" she asked in a surprised voice. "Bryn, after what the two of you have been through, you have every right to flip out. I would if Alex or Walter told me something like that."

"Yeah, maybe...but not in the way in happened." She was quiet for a moment, looking towards the trees for any sign of Petunia. "I've always had a problem coming to terms with Anton working. I know part of me is really selfish for wanting him home all the time, but I just don't understand the attraction, either. He doesn't need the money. And he's told me several times before that he misses out on being with the kids during their little milestones. But then he tells me he'd be too bored without his work. I mean, God forbid. I didn't realize his wife and children were so boring to him." She stopped herself before she could say something really nasty. "Anyway, when he told me about wanting to be emperor, the first thing I could think of was the fact that he'd be busy even more often, and have even less time for us. I got really angry at him. I mean, I had good reasons, too. It would be incredibly dangerous for him and our family if he took that job. And it scared me to think of him in that situation. But I can't help but wonder if wanting him home more often wasn't my real reason for getting so upset."

"Bryn, it's normal that you want him to be with you. To keep him safe, especially given your close connection to him. And I hate to say it, but sometimes he's just too damn noble for his own good." She started into the trees without hesitation, picking out a path between the trunks. Every so often her nostrils flared and she made a slight change in their direction.

Frowning slightly, Bryn followed her without question. "I know. He can be a damned pain in the ass, too. But that doesn't change the fact that I should have supported him. I don't want to hold him back, Jess. And the truth is, no matter how scared I am of what's going to happen, I know he can do it. He'd be great at it."

"Bryn, let me let you in on a little secret." She paused and let out a loud whistle, then cocked her head to one side. "Supporting someone you love doesn't mean that you don't tell them when you think that they're making a damned fool of themselves. Yes, I agree with you. Anton would make an excellent Emperor. But is it worth the cost?"

Looking expectantly in the same direction as Jess, Bryn shrugged. "I don't know. I just know that..." She stopped, her breath catching when she heard something running full tilt out of the trees. Her face lit up when she saw that it was Petunia, ears and jowls flapping as raced towards. "God, Jess, how did you do that?" Crouching down, she grabbed the dog before being almost knocked over backwards. "Petunia, you naughty dog. Where the hell have you been?"

"It's a gift," Jess said with a smile. She knelt down next to Petunia to get a closer look at her sides. "Looks like she's a bit scratched here. She might have dug a hole somewhere along the fence and squirmed through it." She sniffed lightly at her fur, intending to see if she could sniff anything that would identify where she had been, and pulled back in surprise.

"Great, now we have to look for that hole. Either that or start keeping her in the backyard pool area." Rubbing her hands over the dog to look for any broken skin, she glanced at Jess. "What? What's wrong?"

Jess' focus had turned to scanning the woods in front of her. "Bryn, take Petunia and go home. Call Alex and Walter and tell them to meet me here." Her expression hardened slightly. "I can smell Marrok's scent on her."

Bryn didn't have to be told twice. Grabbing Petunia's collar, she stood up and started heading quickly for the houses. "Be careful," she said, in a hushed voice over her shoulder. Her heart was pounding, and she couldn't help a worried glance back in Jess' direction. She hoped the werewolf would be okay in the few minutes it would take to get back to the house, call the other werewolves, as well as Anton, Nate, and Lindy.

Jess waited until Bryn was out of sight, and then began pulling off her clothes. Confident that the others would find her, she followed Petunia's scent. It meandered through the trees for a while until it reached the fence line. Just beyond it, she could smell another scent that made her growl and bristle. With a look of disgust and anger, she did what her instinct demanded. She cocked a hind leg and sprayed around the hole, marking her territory. Then she pushed a fallen log over it to block it. Fur still spiky but unsatisfied with the job, she turned and returned the way she came.

Calling both vampires and werewolves, Bryn got everyone's attention as quickly as she could. Including her mother's. Too frazzled to explain the entire situation to her, Bryn mentioned that they were on the look out for Liam's birthfather, who was supposed to be out of town, and who no one liked. She couldn't figure out why the hell Marrok would be back so quickly...unless his whole story about moving to France had been a lie in the first place. That thought made her cringe. And she could just imagine what Nate was doing, as he waited with Liam for the all-clear signal.

Alex and Walter immediately left to join Jess, although Lindy thought they might also be intent on marking their territory. She was angry and frustrated that she had been lied to. And angry for Liam's sake. The boy had in effect been abandoned by her father for some new sick mind game as far as she was concerned.

And Anton immediately went into a protective mode. He called in a 'family emergency ' at work and started to protectively hover around Bryn. He had never forgotten or forgiven the attack he had made on his wife.

"This is crazy," Nate muttered, splitting his attention between the window and the floor where Liam was innocently playing. "I told you that son of a bitch wasn't gone. He's never gone. He's like a damned sliver that just keeps getting deeper under the skin."

Lindy sighed. "Yeah," she agreed, looking at Liam as well. She was feeling like a fool for having actually believed that he was gone. it was probably all a joke to him and had been spying on both her and Liam the entire time. "I can tell you one thing. It'll be a cold day in hell if he thinks that he can just waltz in here and see Liam like he used to."

Nate glanced in her direction, wondering if she really meant that. She had a strange soft spot for Marrok, one that sickened him. But if she meant what she said, he was overjoyed. The less of that bastard werewolf, the better. If only Marrok would agree. "He's not going to stay away. He's got something up his sleeve."

"Then how do we make him stay away?" Lindy said. "Short of killing him, I don't see how. And no. That's not an acceptable alternative at this point."

"Works for me," Nate muttered, crossing his arms. Watching the werewolves walking back towards the houses, he finally said, "Let's wait and see what they have to say. Maybe they will advocate death at this point."

"Mom looks pissed," Lindy said, noting her mother's, who was still in canine form, spiky hackles. "Come to think of it, they all look pissed." She knew that they there werewolves were taking it as a personal insult that Marrok had been on the property.

Walking over to the floor where Liam was sitting, Nate picked him up and sat down on the couch with his son on his lap. Liam looked up at him in confusion, not understanding the tenseness of his usually relaxed pose. "It's okay, buddy. I'm not upset at you. If I could, I'd take you away from here and never come back."

Liam still looked uncertain as Lindy sat down next to Nate and placed a comforting hand on his back. "What I don't get," she said after a moment, "is that this doesn't seem to be his style. He's always been about confrontation. And from what Bryn said, Mom didn't think he was nearby at the time, but had seen Petunia. He doesn't hide like this."

Nate nodded, frowning. "All the more reason for concern. Whether he is in league with Natasha or on his own, he's up to no good. He had no reason to go back to that cabin of his. If he's messing around there, we've got a problem. He's way too close to our homes. And I don't like it one bit. If I can find a way, I'm buying that property and clearing it all to the ground."

Lindy didn't voice her thought that all that would be accomplished was Marrok adjusting to the new boundary line. "Come on," she said, taking Nate's hand and squeezing lightly. "Let's go hear what Mom has to say."

Sighing heavily, he stood up, Liam still firmly clutched in his grip. He wasn't about to let the boy go--someone was going to have to literally rip him out of Nate's arms before he was ready to let go. Following Lindy to the door, he kept his eyes and ears open, ready and waiting for an attack from behind.

Lindy was also edgy as they crossed the yard and went into her parents home. And she hated Marrok for making her not feel safe in her own home. Even behind closed doors as she didn't feel safe. And looking at Bryn and Anton, who had just appeared at the tunnel entrance, it looked like they felt the same.

Holding Kat close to her chest, Bryn grasped Anton's hand as they walked in to the living room. He had Max on his hip and Bernadette followed close behind, looking a bit bewildered. It was the first time she'd seen one of the werewolves fully shapeshifted, and she was more than a bit intimidated. Bryn couldn't blame her. Jess was an awesome sight in her lupine state.

Jess, ears tilted back but lips making sure her fangs stayed covered, leaned against a wall, arms crossed in front of her chest. Her expression mirrored the ones on Walter's and Alex's faces. They were speaking quietly, occasionally glancing around. But they quickly shifted their attention to their guests. "We didn't find Marrok," Water said. "But we found signs of where he's been."

"And where is that?" Anton asked in an angry voice.

"Not on our side of the fence," Alex said. "Petunia dug her way under it. Somewhere out there she ran into Marrok. But there's no sign of him encroaching on this side."

"Which means nothing," Nate said. "If wants in badly enough, he'll get in. The same way she got out."

"But why hasn't he?" Jess spoke carefully, trying to screen her growls out of her voice. "Why the charade of leaving for France? We know he sent Viviane, and he's not one that will separate from his family easy."

"Which gives every indication that he's grown desperate," Nate argued. "What if he sent his daughter away because he doesn't want any chance she'll find out what he's up to? What if what he has planned is so heinous that he'd never chance anyone he knows finding out?"

"Even if Nathaniel is wrong, and I don't think he is given Marrok's history with us, we need to hunt him down and find out what his game is this time," Anton said. "Even if we have to beat it out of him."

Bryn frowned, glancing first at her children, and then at her mother--who appeared to be pretty much horrified. "Mom...he's not a good guy. He attacked both Lindy and I, and did some pretty serious damage. He's tried to kidnap Liam several times, and lies without a thought of others' feelings."

"But you said he had children..."

"Yeah, he does. But he hasn't been the greatest of father to them." Bryn tried to ignore the nagging voice in her head, reminding her that Lindy had said Marrok was always a doting father where his daughter was concerned. "We don't know why he took Viviane out of the country. But he's not with her now, when he really should be."

"You told me he said she was in danger here. That this...Natasha was involved?"

At a loss, Bryn shrugged. "We don't know if she really is or not."

"He said he was involved with Natasha before," Lindy said. "And given how he hates vampires, if he tried to break free or double cross her, I'm certain she wouldn't hesitate to use Viviane to hurt him. Unfortunately we don't have any way to know if she's involved or not."

"So how can you go beating him up if he may be innocent?" Bernadette asked, pointedly. "Maybe he is trying to protect his daughter."

"He asked me to go with him. To take Liam and leave Nathaniel. He told me that he loved me." Lindy bit her lower lip. "What if he's staying here out of some sense of obligation? That he's watching over both me and Liam?"

Nate, looking queasy, sank down in his chair a bit. "All the more reason to beat his face in. You're my wife, not his. He can be on his merry-fucking-way."

"Then what do we do?" Anton asked. "Killing him is out of the question. That makes us no better than him. And we know how trustworthy he is. He's manipulated the situation to his advantage before."

"We keep the werewolves around the next time we see him. They'll be able to smell his lies." Nate sat forward. "And this time, instead of waiting for him to come to us, we invite him here. Let him know we know he's back. That'll catch him off guard."

"If Marrok is hiding from Natasha though, how do we do it? He won't be at the vineyard," Lindy pointed out.

"But he has been patrolling the fence," Alex said. "So we can stick a note on it. Or tie one to Petunia and let her loose since they seem to like each other."

"Which is surprising since she was the one growling bloody murder when he broke into the house the first time," Anton said.

"I don't like the idea of sending Petunia out again," Bryn said, frowning. "If I have my way, she's going to be in our backyard, inside the fence. God, if I could built a moat around the whole property, I would. What the hell good is inviting him here going to do?"

"It might throw him off balance," Alex said. "He doesn't think that we know that he's around. If we show him otherwise, he might not know what to do."

"Almost every time he's been here, he's had the upper hand," Lindy added. "And this time, he won't."

"Just because you invite him here doesn't mean he doesn't have the upper hand. He's not going to show up the very same minute. He'll plan it first. He'll be prepared." Bryn let out a sigh. "And how do you know he won't find a way to bring Natasha with him? Maybe he's just a distraction."

"No," Lindy said with a decisive shake of her head. "He hates Natasha. No, he loathes her, and she's threatened his daughter. There is no way he would be willing to work with her now."

Bryn looked at Lindy curiously, wondering how she could be so certain about this man. It was an odd statement, given how she barely knew Marrok and often professed that she hated him. "I still don't think it's a good idea. It puts our kids in danger. Aren't you worried about Liam?"

"Of course I'm worried for Liam. And for Max and for Kat. And you, Anton, Nate, Bernadette, my parents, Amanda. I would rather search out what his game is this time instead of waiting for him to make the next move."

Bryn let out a sigh and turned to Anton. "And what about you? Do you think this is a good idea?"

"No, I don't. I don't want that monster on the same continent as Bryn and the children." Anton's eyes flickered but he seemed to pull himself back under control. "But Lindy's right. We need to let him know that we're on to him."

"Then it's done," Nate said. "We put up a note, and get him here as soon as possible. Let's get this over with."

"I'll write it," Lindy volunteered, standing to walk over to the desk to grab a pen and some paper. "He might be more apt to comply if the request comes from me."

There had been a little discussion on how to write the note. In the end Lindy had written it five times before they came up with a version they all approved of. And it was agreed that the werewolves would put it out during daylight. Then it would just be a wait and see game as far as Marrok's response was.

So with nothing more to do, Anton and Bryn gathered up the kids and took them home through the tunnels. "Well, my dear," Anton said as he pushed opened the door to their home. "What do you think?"

Tired and annoyed, Bryn set Max on his feet and took his hand. "I think there is no such thing as a lucky break. Just when you think things are going your way, it all gets fucked up."

"Sabryn, watch your language," her mother chastised. Bernadette picked up Max and headed for the stairs. "I'll get him ready for bed. Would you like me to take Katerina, too?"

"Please," Anton said, handing his daughter over. He then put his arm around Bryn's shoulder, guiding her towards the kitchen. "We'll be getting a snack to eat Bernadette. Did you want anything?" And he whispered in Bryn's ear. "And for the record, my dear, you are right."

"No, thank you. I'll get some granola when I retire to the library." Taking the kids upstairs, she left them in relative privacy.

"I may be right," Bryn said, "but I'm not happy about it. I mean, what are we going to do if Natasha has something to do with this? Even if she doesn't, she's still out there, no doubt planning something."

"Agreed," Anton said, making sure the door was shut behind them. "Once we manage to get Marrok to tell the truth, which will be a big trick, I admit, I think we might know better what the dangers are."

Sitting down on the couch, Bryn pouted. "You know, just when it seems like a good idea to move my mother on to the property, it all goes to hell again. I don't understand it. Are we cursed? Are we never going to be safe, anywhere?"

"Bryn, I know it feels that way," Anton said as he sat down next to her. "And I know this isn't going to sound encouraging. There is always going to be a Marrok or a Natasha in our lives. There will always be some sort of danger, just because of who and what we are. But the important thing is to rule that fear, and not let it rule you."

She rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Dr. Phil." At his sour look, she gave him a smile. "I'm sorry, I'm just in a bad mood. I'm sick of these people." She lowered her voice. "And I'm sick of my mother, too. I want that damned house finished. It's not that I miss swearing, but I miss being able to say whatever I want to, without worrying about being overheard. I guess I should consider myself lucky...in a few years, it'll be the kids listening in, instead."

Anton nodded. "I think they're listening in now. I'm so afraid that I'll be holding Kat and she'll look up with me with her sweet eyes and say 'damn it, dada' for her first words."

Bryn burst out giggling. "Better that, than 'Oh God, Anton!'"

Anton let out a shiver. "I think you just scarred my for life, my dear. On that note, I think I hear the ice cream in the freezer pleading to be made into a sundae with extra whipped cream. Shall we, my dear?"

Still giggling, she nodded. "Absolutely." Taking his hand and following him to the kitchen, she grabbed some spoons out of the drawer as they passed. She sobered a bit before saying, "I was talking to Jess today, before we found Petunia."

Hearing her name, the dog appeared in the doorway, wagging her tail.

"Yes, I was talking about you, naughty girl." Turning her attention back to Anton, Bryn said, "I was telling her about the fight we had and what happened. I wouldn't normally bring it up, because it was between us...but I had to get her opinion on some feelings I was having."

"Really, my dear?" Anton walked to the refrigerator and pulled out the ice cream, a jar of cherries, the chocolate sauce, and a can of whip cream. Stacking them on the counter, he then turned to look at his wife. "And what did she have to say?"

"Well, she seemed to think that my first opinions were valid, but..." She let out a sigh, hopping up on to the counter. "I'm still feeling guilty, Anton. I know you said that you agreed with me, and that I was right, but I can't help but feel bad that I didn't support you. I really don't want to be that kind of person. I love you and I trust you. If you want to do something important, I should be supporting you."

"Bryn, of course your opinions are valid." He stepped forward and cupped her cheek. "There is no need for you to feel guilty. And sometimes supporting somebody means telling them that it's a stupid idea. I know that it's good that I want to do good for all of the Empire, Bryn. But not at what it would cost my family."

"But what if it didn't cost us? What if there was some way to do this and keep us safe? I know it sounds like a dream, and probably isn't possible...I just wish there was some way for us to make a difference."

"Maybe there is a way, my dear." Anton gently stroked her hair. "We'll come up with some way to make a difference. We just have to figure out how that is." He gave her a sheepish smile. "You know me, Bryn. Generous to a fault and over enthusiastic."

Cradling his face in her hands, she said, "There is absolutely no fault at all where your generosity is concerned. You give so freely of everything you have, especially your heart. And I'm very lucky to have you." She wrapped her legs around his waist, tugging him closer. "If you can find a way to do this, I'll be behind you a hundred percent. I promise."

"Thank you, Bryn," Anton said, and brushed his lips against her forehead. "And if we don't find a way to do it that isn't safe, you have permission to tell me no." He wrapped his arms around her tightly. "And if I can't find a way to do this, we'll find something else to do."

"Maybe," Anton said. "I've always wanted a big jumbo jet we could call Air Force One."

"How about we just steal the plane and leave running the country to that buffoon whose already in office? Maybe one day he'll actually clean up the mess he created. Or if all else fails, at least he'll go down in history as the worst president ever."

"At least he is only in office for 8 years, my dear. Imagine the damage that could be done if he were in longer. And I agree with you. Let's just steal the plane," he added with a wink.

"Yes, because no one will question us flying around in a giant plane that has 'Air Force One' painted on the side. They'll just think it's a coincidence."

Anton laughed. "Okay, then how about we try to sneak away with Air Force Two? I doubt the Vice President will be using it any time soon."

"Why don't we just buy our own big-ass plane, paint Air-Force-69 on the side, and use it to film our private sex tapes?"

No sooner were the words out of her mouth than her mother stepped in to the room. Bryn's eyes widened and she started turning bright red.

Looking startled, Bernadette kept her gaze downcast as she grabbed a yogurt out of the fridge, a spoon out of the drawer, and announced, "I'll be in the library."

He didn't dare look at either of them as he nodded. Anton managed to hold back his laughter until Bernadette had scurried out of the room. And then he broke into full guffaws, arms wrapped around his stomach tight. "I think you found a way to keep her quiet, my dear."

"Shhh!" Still embarrassed, even Bryn had trouble hiding her giggles. "Oh my God...you see, she's always hovering around. It was only a matter of time before that happened. We're lucky she didn't walk in on us doing something."

"You mean something like this?" Anton scooped her up into his arms and carried her over to the table. He sat down in one of the chairs, plopping her firmly in his lap. Arms sill tight around her, he began kissing her mouth as one hand slid to cup a breast.

She let out a squeak at the sudden movement, quickly wrapping her arms around him. Moaning softly, she returned his kiss as she squeezed his hips with her thighs. "Ice cream's...gonna melt."

"Let it melt," Anton whispered in her ear before tugging it on her earlobe. "Want to pour it all over you and lap it up..."

Her eyes had to have rolled back in her head. Digging her fingernails in to his back, she quivered lightly. "Sounds like we need a trip to the bathroom. Or at the very least, rubber sheets."

"Remember our first week together in the warehouse?" Anton was practically panting as his fangs and lips glided over her neck. "And the mess we made with the whip cream in the bathroom?" His fingers on her breast tightened, playing with the nipple. "We need to do that again sometime."

She grinned. "Other than the pain in the ass it was to clean up, what's stopping us? We could be up there right now."

Anton smiled wickedly and allowed her to slip off his lap. "Then let's grab the can and get up there." Hopefully the babies would sleep for a while, and after Bryn's comment, he didn't think that she would be seeking their company for a while.

Grabbing his hand, Bryn pulled Anton to his feet. "I'll get the ice cream. You get the whipped cream. Think we should be daring and bring the hot fudge sauce, too?" She wiggled her eyebrows. "And maybe the cherries?"

"My dear, you are ambitious. I like that in a woman." Grabbing the items she requested of the shelves, he started towards the stairs. "Anything else we need to grab, my dear?"

"Hmm. I think I'll save my grabbing for when you're naked." She paused, glancing back towards the library to make sure the doors were still shut. "At least I wasn't overheard that time."

"You sure about that, my dear?" Anton teased. He started climbing the stairs. "Of course you know we're going to get caught one of these days. Even when your mother's home is finished."

She gave him a withering glance. "Don't remind me. Besides, I'm done thinking about her tonight. All I want is you with whipped cream and a cherry on top."

He grinned at her unrepentantly as he pulled her into the bedroom. "Cherry on top of what?" he asked innocently. "I can think of a few places that I'd like to eat some cherries off of you."

"Why do you think I brought the whole bottle? I could get very creative." Grabbing his hand, she spun him around in front of her and began unbuttoning his shirt. "The quicker you get undressed, the sooner we can play."

Anton arched his eyebrows. "Get me undressed? My dear, I believe you're forgetting someone in that equation." His hands went to his fly and unbuttoned them. He shimmied out of them, giving his hips an extra swish.

She grinned. "Maybe I just like undressing better when I can look at you naked, too." Tugging her shirt over her head, she dropped it to the floor and shrugged out of her bra straps.

Anton tugged down his boxers, careful to ease them around his growing erection. "I definitely like looking at you naked," he said as the last stitch he was wearing dropped way. Teasingly, he stretched, making sure the muscles of his torso rippled.

Groaning softly, Bryn watched him openly and paused in what she was doing. "Damn, you're sexy. You ought to consider yourself lucky I ever let you get out of bed." Seeming to remember what she was doing, she dropped her bra to the floor and moved on to her jeans.

"It's a wonder I let you out of bed too." His eyes flickered for half a second as he looked her up and down. "If you weren't a vampire, I'd bet I'd already have you pregnant again," he said, reaching out to help her remove her jeans.

His words left an incredibly warm feeling in her belly. "I bet you would. And if not for the strain on my body, I would've gladly let you, over and over again." She kissed his chest and smiled at him as he stepped closer. "I'm going to miss that, you know. I loved having a part of you growing inside me. And not just this part," she added, stroking his cock.

Anton smiled gently. "I wish there were a way I could get you pregnant," he said, leaning forward into her touch. His hands went to her beasts, encircling her nipples lovingly. He hadn't meant to lose the lighthearted mood. "Now, I believe you and I said something about whipped cream and cherries?"

Grabbing her supplies from where she'd set them on the bed, she led the way to the bathroom. "How about we start the water in the tub now. I have a feeling we're gonna need to clean up eventually."

"Sounds like a good idea, my dear." He followed her and then brushed past her, making sure his fingers touched flesh. Bending over the porcelain, he started the taps running. But he didn't straighten up right away, instead giving her a good view of his ass.

Smiling to herself, Bryn grabbed the can of whipped cream and shook it vigorously. She popped off the cap, walked up behind him, and drew a large smiley-face across his butt.

Anton let out a loud yelp as the cold cream hit his hot skin. He straightened up, and tried not to grab his butt on instinct. "You didn't just