Title: Wishes, DayDreams, and, Nightmares (Parts 5/5) Author: Rua Bran Ravenlock E-mail: ruabrannw at yahoo dot com Rating: 18 version Based on: DoD Spoilers: NightWorld Series Summary: Ash learns to be careful when making wishes because sometimes they just might come true. Hanky panky at the end. Disclaimers: The Nightworld and all of its characters, theories, principles are not my creation, property, nor do I own them. They belong to LJSmith. I am borrowing them. This story picks up where Hunter's Fall leaves off in Las Vegas. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Part 1: Ash watched Hunter's car pull out of the drive. The past week had to be the strangest week he'd ever experienced. One day Hunter was dead, the next he was sporting a human Soulmate and a new attitude. The same week Ash had almost lost Mary Lynnette forever, gotten staked, and got the best birthday present of his life--Mary Lynnette Talk about strange things happening during the millennium change. A dark grey limousine came to a stop outside the mansion. Ash watched with great interest. A middle aged woman with salt and pepper hair stepped out leaning heavily on a cane. What was Clarissa doing here? Clarissa von Bleu, the Night World's leading expert in vampire medical technology, and witch exiled from the Night World for curing humans of 'incurable' diseases by using vampire blood, in a pill form. Within seconds of her entering the home, he heard someone knock at his bedroom door. "Mister Ash," Nilsson said, "lord Thierry wants you to come to his study." Strange, he hadn't heard Nilsson's approach, nor could he sense anyone in the mansion as he followed Nilsson to the study. His legs felt funny, almost weak. Maybe nerves, he told himself as he wondered why Thierry had summoned Clarissa and why he wanted to see Ash as well. Clarissa stood at the window nodding as she listened to Thierry, asking questions as he explained why he had called her. "He was staked with an ordinary wooden cot leg fashioned into a stake?" "Yes, he was unconscious for a couple of days, when he woke up I sent a volunteer to feed him, but he didn't feed and hasn't, to the best of our knowledge, fed since the night of the council trial." "Are there any other symptoms, nausea, headaches, violent temper, anything unusual for him?" "He has started sleeping through the night and roaming around in the daylight." "I see, " Clarissa bit back a smile. "He has a human Soulmate?" Thierry frowned, lines cutting deeply into his brow, "Yes, but that has nothing to do with whatever's going on. His soulmate wasn't even in the room when he was staked." "No, you misunderstand, my Lord, Ash may need some help getting around in the human world if my theory is correct." "What are you thinking?" Thierry leaned back in his chair, his curiosity piqued. "I'm thinking he got poisoned just enough to lose his vampire abilities for a while. Wood poisoning, as you well know, is difficult to cure and it will do strange things to a vampire's body until it works itself out of his system." "He's human?" Thierry grimaced, just what he didn't need, a changed vampire. "What am I supposed to do with him?" Clarissa shrugged, "I have no idea, let him decide what to do." "About what?" Ash asked, entering, his usual cocky smile on his face. "I believe you know Clarissa, Ash." *** Mary Lynnette quietly studied her reflection in the mirror. She had made the first move to get Ash back. It had taken more nerve to make that one tiny gesture than it had to kill Jeremy, play baseball with Petra's head, or hold a ball bat on Hunter Redfern, whom she had found out later was probably one of the most powerful vampires in the world. Self preservation was one thing, matters of heart another. She didn't look any different, except for the swollen lips that upon closer inspection just felt huge and hideous. She was sure Ash wouldn't mind what she looked like. He had left last night happier than she had seen him in a long time. A secretive smile lit her face. He had promised to return to Briar Creek with her today. The moment played through her head "I think we'd better slow down Mare." Ash put his fingers on her lips "before we do something I'd rather do where there aren't quite so many people around." Mary Lynnette blushed deeply, "Come home with me tomorrow." He nodded in agreement, "Tomorrow it is." Mary Lynnette shook herself, "Enough daydreaming." She practically hopped down the stairs and didn't remember walking to Thierry's study. Three sober faces looked at her. Thierry, Ash, and a grey haired woman waited for Mary Lynnette to shut the door. "Your soulmate?" The woman asked, her deep brown eyes twinkling in pleasure. "Mare, this is Clarissa von Bleu. Clarissa, Mary Lynnette Carter." Ash said with such formality that Mary Lynnette thought Thierry had made the introductions. Mary Lynnette smiled, suddenly unable to talk. Something was wrong here, very wrong. Clarissa's attention returned to Ash. "I need to have a look at that wound." Ash pulled his tee shirt over his head. and blinked at Clarissa as she studied the puncture wound. "OW!" He yelped when she pressed her fingers into the wound. "Sorry, that should have already healed." She traced the line of his collarbone to the point where the stake had shattered it. She tapped on it. "Ow, ow, ow." Ash caught her hand. "Please tell me you're through torturing me." Clarissa shook her head, "If I hadn't delivered you myself, I'd swear you're human." "Very funny." Ash grumbled. She chewed on her pen for a moment. "Are you hungry Ash?" "Hungry?" "When was the last time you fed?" Ash thought His eyes widened into big golden orbs. "I don't remember." "Do you feel nauseous or anything?" Now that she mentioned it, he had been feeling a little shaky and had a headache--something new to him. "I just thought it was from the wood poisoning." "It might be, let's try something." She handed a tennis ball to him. "Crush this for me." Ash bounced the ball on the palm of his hand, testing it. Then he applied just enough pressure that a vampire would have needed to use to crush the ball. Nothing happened. Ash grimaced and squeezed the ball with all his might. He tried to mash it between the palms of his hands. "What the hell?" "Well, that pretty much proves it. You've somehow become human." Clarissa tossed the ball to Thierry who crushed it easily between his thumb and forefinger. Mary Lynnette dropped her head into her hands. The day Ash left Briar Creek played in her head. He wished he could be human. Poor Ash looked torn between the insane urge to laugh out loud or jump out the window. Mary Lynnette crossed the room and rested her forehead against his, lacing her fingers through his and squeezing. "We can get through this." She whispered. "There is a bright spot to all this. I'm almost certain that this is a temporary condition." "Oh great." Ash muttered. "How temporary?" Clarissa shrugged, studying Ash with an intent gaze that made him want to hide somewhere out of her sight. "I don't know, I've never seen this kind of thing before, but I do reccommend some toast and tea before you faint from lack of nutrition." Thierry signalled Nilsson who nodded and headed toward the kitchen. *** "Human!" Quinn repeated in disbelief. "Oh this is just too funny!" He tried not to laugh, but couldn't help it. Ash shook his head. Try as he might, he found nothing funny about the situation. Rashel punched Quinn in the shoulder. "This isn't funny. We need him to be a vampire." Quinn looked at Rashel in shock. She wanted Ash to be a vampire? That was a switch for her. "What are we going to do now?" Quinn asked, acknowledging the seriousness of the matter. Poppy shrugged, "Can he be made into a vampire again?" Clarissa shook head her, "No, I don't think that's a good idea. It might kill him. You see, I'm frightened to try anything because I don't know what to do. This has never happened before, ever. I think we should give it some time to wear off. If it doesn't maybe then we'll try to change him, if he wants to be changed." Everyone looked at Ash who was busily sipping hot tea and frowning at its taste. "What do you want to do Ash?" Without hesitation he said, "Go to Briar Creek, relax and. . . ." He saw Mary Lynnette's smile fade and had the funny feeling she thought he wanted to return to being a vampire."....think." He finished. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Part 2: Ash was strangely quiet on the trip to Briar Creek. Mary Lynette kept glancing at him trying to gauge his mood. Pushing her sunglasses back in place, she looked up in the rearview mirror. Rowan and Kestrel were asleep in the two captain's chairs behind Ash and herself. However she could not see Jade and Mark, but they were probably sleeping too. After a moment's thought, she was glad she couldn't see them. Ash's silence worried her.She tried to concentrate on driving while Ash stared out the window. She knew what he was probably thinking. the wish he'd made had come true. He was human and for all anyone knew, it could be permanent. His silence hurt and she didn't really know how to reach him. She couldn't empathize or really sympahtize. She'd never been put in a situation quite like his. Ash tried again to reach out to Mary Lynnette mentally only to meet again with failure. Resigning himself to be human a wile longer, he began to accept what he could possibly have to face for the rest of his life. He was human. The first made human of all the people in the world, he was so favored as to have three lovely gifts in one lifetime. The dreamwalker bit he could live without. Having a soulmate, that was a double edged sword. He loved mary Lynnette, but she was human and that was forbidden in his world, but what world did he belong to now? To add to the list of major catastrophes he'd suffered of late was the less than desirable title of human---and insult to one who was born into a powerful family of lamia. Having to learn about being human was more difficult than he had imagined. Of all he'd learned in two days time, human food was indeed his favorite subject. For one whose major food source was blood, though he could tolerate the human diet, human cuisine was pure art. "Typical male." Mary Lynnette told him when he made the comment that he liked bacon and wanted to know when they were going to stop for more food, "always thinking about your stomach." What a variety of foods they had invented. Some were certainly better than others. He'd quickly found out he hated licorice. It was more offensive than garlic, which he found tasted better than it smelled. Italian food was heavenly, he decided. Chocolate was devine. Tea tasted better with sugar, lemon, and ice. He didn't care for McDonald's food, well, fast food in general, though Mary Lynnette seemed to have a fondness for something called chicken nuggets which sounded anything but appetizing to him. Nuggets of which part of the chicken, he wondered? He fiddled with the lid on his chocolate shake, mentally scrolling through the small injustices he'd encountered. Paper cuts hurt. Sunlight was annoying even to his human eyes. Mary Lynnette's suitcases were heavy. Mark was an even bigger asshole than Ash had originally thought. Just stupid every day things that vampires took for granted because they were immortal. What really hurt was that, though he was worried, Thierry, as well as Circle DayBreak in general, had pretty much shrugged him off. He understood they needed to search for the fifth wild power who seemed to be more powerful than the four combined. But did they have to act like he had sprouted an extra arm? Perhaps the biggest, brightest spot of the day was Mary Lynnette who was absolutely glowing. Would she still be so radiant if his powers returned? "What are you thinking about?" Mary Lynnette, finally asked, to break the uneasy silence that surrounded them for what seemed like an eternity. "I'm just noticing how different things look from your perspective." He hesitated then added, "and wondering how you manage to carry those suitcases?" Mary Lynnette snorted, her eyes twinkling, "I had a feeling that was coming." Then she looked solemn; "Do you miss being a vampire?" "I think I would feel better about this if I'd known it was going to happen. I don't like surprises." He dropped his cup into the bag at his feet; Mary Lynnette noticed the silver bracelet she had given him hanging around his wrist. "However, I'm adjusting." The van came to a stop in Mary Lynnette's driveway and everyone climbed out. Mark shoved Ash to the side "I'll get the bags, don't want you to hurt yourself." He was trying to be nice, but Ash didn't see it that way. "I can help." He sounded like an insistent two-year-old determined to 'help' whether or not someone needed the 'help.' "No Ash." Mary Lynnette grabbed him by the wrist. "You'll hurt your shoulder again, besides, I need you inside." A mischievous grin lit his eyes. "Don't you think that might hurt my shoulder?" Mary Lynnette waved her finger under his nose, "Naughty thoughts Mister Redfern. No, I need you to help me get supper ready. You need to learn to cook anyway." Four heads swiveled in their direction. "I'll go get pizza," Mark said. *** Mary Lynnette pointed out the things Ash would need to make what she called "The easiest, fastest food to make outside of heating something in the microwave." Following her directions, Ash grabbed a pot out of the drawer under the stove. It slipped out of his hands landing with a thud on his foot. Mary Lynnette bit back laughter until she was sure only his pride was hurt. "It isn't funny!" Ash snapped as he hopped around on one foot, holding his injured foot with both hands. "Rinse the pot out and put some water on to boil." Ash turned the hot water on and stuck the pot under the stream of water. He reached in with his hand to swish the water around. "Damn it." He shook his scalded, insulted fingers. "I thought you said this was an easy thing to make?" "It is, this is just the first time you've cooked. There are always hazards the first time you do anything." He shot her a secret 'later' smile, she blushed a deep crimson then shoved a box of spaghetti noodles and a jar of sauce at him. "I thought you were hungry." "I am, I just didn't say for what, though." He returned evenly enjoying her flustered expression. "Cook, Ash." Mary Lynnette said, leaving for a few minutes before she forgot what they were supposed to be doing. She sagged heavily against the wall outside the kitchen fanning herself. Just the look on his face, that smile, and one carefully worded sentence had made her feel overheated. Raking nervous fingers through her hair, Mary Lynnette took a deep breath, exhaled slowly "Bit off more than you can chew, Mare." She muttered. A crash followed by a lot of swearing in the kitchen reminded her that her student was not the most adept at handling himself when it came to cooking. Trying not to laugh, she stepped into the kitchen and burst into hysterical laughter. Ash was covered head to toe with flour. "What on earth were you doing?" She asked grabbing a hand towel and swiping at the flour on his face. "Looking through the cabinets so I'd know where everything was. Wouldn't it be a good idea to put this stuff in some kind of container?" He motioned toward the empty flour bag, "It's dangerous." His hair poofed when he reached up to pat the flour out of it. "It's the Pillsbury dough boy." Mary Lynnette howled in hysterical laughter. "Very funny." *** Mark gaped at the table. Ash had actually done a pretty good job setting it. The spaghetti, garlic bread, and salad looked good too. Ash's only comment to the praise he received was, "At least I can boil water now." That evening he joined Mary Lynnette on the porch swing to watch the sky with her. "There's supposed to be a meteor shower tonight." Mary Lynnette said, curling up against Ash while being careful not to hurt his shoulder. "Wouldn't we be able to see it better from the hill?" She nodded, "Yeah, but I haven't gone back since I killed Jeremy up there." Silence and darkness enshrouded them. Crickets chirped in unison and an owl hooted an eery greeting in the distance. Deer quietly grazed in the yard. Despite being rendered human, the soulmate thing hummed like a living thing between them. Heat and electricity tingled through their bodies where they touched. Ash shifted a little trying desperately to ignore the persistent urge to kiss Mary Lynnette until they had witnessed the meteor shower. "Can you see anything?" Ash asked, trying to break the uncomfortable silence "No." Mare wiggled till she found a more comfortable position. Wooden swings were not the best place to snuggle both decided. "Would you feel better if I went with you?" "Ash, you can't see in the dark anymore. You won't be able to protect me." Ash snorted, "Like you need protection, you've battled more werewolves than I have." He was quiet for a moment wondering if she realized what he had just told her. When she didn't acknowledge his revelation he felt a small measure of relief that she'd missed it. "I'll go get my telescope, binoculars for you, and blanket." "And a flashlight!" Ash called after her. Those words sounded especially funny coming from his mouth. He had never needed a flashlight in his life. Another injustice was added to his list. *** Mary Lynnette fingered the tiny circular pill case she kept hidden in her purse feeling rather glad she had started taking them a few months before Ash was supposed to come back. Rowan told her he couldn't get her pregnant since he was a vampire still she went ahead with her plan just in case. Feeling sort of glad that she had started taking them, because now that he was human...well better safe than sorry. She dropped the case back into her purse resigning herself to the possibility that Ash might be a human forever. She thought for a moment, wondering if he had decided to quit aging. He did look a little older but she wasn't sure if that was from taking on responsibilities in Circle Daybreak, or because he was still growing older. She stopped in front of the mirror and touched the place where he had bit her the night Jeremy attacked them. She had wanted him to make her a vampire and then backed out after Jeremy's death. Little did Ash know, she thought with a wry smile, she had changed her mind again? Eternity didn't look so bad with him at her side, besides who would make him behave once she was gone? And there was no guarantee she would come back like the old souls did if she chose to remain human. She heard the door downstairs open, "Mare! The show is starting! Hurry up!" In less than five minutes, they were lying in the meadow, instead of going to the hill, with binoculars and a telescope. Ash looked at the instruments and after an awkward moment figured out which end to look through and how to adjust the lenses. As the meteors increased in size and number, he tossed the binoculars to the side. "I don't think we need those now." Bright red and yellow flaming streaks against a black satin backdrop filled the night sky. There seemed to be hundreds of them. "Wow." Mary Lynnette said, awestruck at the size and number of meteors. Ash grasped her hand, rubbing the delicate bones lightly with his thumb sending shivers through Mary Lynnette. The meteors lit up the sky for a few minutes more, then their numbers dwindled until there was only one or two stragglers here and there. Mary Lynnette rolled on her side and raised up on one elbow. Her body felt liquid and hot where his body touched hers. "Tell me the truth, are you sure you're okay with this human thing?" Ash framed her face with his hands, "You worry too much." Shoving the wayward strands of hair from her face, he smiled, "I'm fine as long as you're here ohterwise I'm terrified." he pressed a finger to her lips, "Please don't tell anyone that." She shook her head as his hands slipped around to the back of her head, his fingers lacing through her hair. He plied slight pressure to the nape of her neck pulling her down to him. Mary Lynnette placed a firm, reassuring kiss on his lips. "I won't tell." Another meteor shot through the sky. It's flames sparkled bright gold in Ash's eyes and Mary Lynnette thought she'd never seen anything so beautiful. She kissed him again, slowly, savoring each little move his mouth made. It might not be vampire, but it was still soft, warm, sensual and decidedly masculine. Ash slid his good arm down and crushed her to him. "Mare," his voice was little more than a whisper, "you sure you want to do this?" He asked, slipping his hand under her shirt tracing tiny circles over her spine. Her nose touched his, "Yes, if you're sure we're not going to hurt your shoulder." "I think I'll live." *** Mary Lynnette's eyes popped open. She was lying on Ash's chest listening to his heartbeat her hair spread out like a fan over him. Ash's arm was wrapped protectively around her waist, the cool silver of his bracelet pressing into the small of her back.. At some point in time they had returned to the sanctuary of her room. Now she remembered, mosquitoes were not the best bed buddies. She leaned over Ash toward the nightstand to check the time. He stirred, his hand drifting down ward. A wicked smile lit her face. "Do you ever tire?" "Mmmm, no." A noise came from the kitchen and they both froze. "Stay right here Ash." She whispered, all she needed was for him to fall down the steps or something stupid like that. Then it would be her fault for getting him hurt all over again. "But. . . " He started to sit up but Mary Lynnette shoved him back against the pillows. "That sounds like Claudine." She said, pulling her night gown over her head. Ash pulled the sheets over his head, "Busted." He stage whispered. Ignoring him, Mary Lynnette walked toward the door remembering to sidestep the footstool that was sitting in the middle of the floor, barely breathing, her heart pounding. How was she going to explain Ash's presence in her room to Claudine? Especially since he couldn't go out the window or make Claudine forget she saw him. Carefully shutting the door behind her and she started toward the stairs. Someone tapped on her shoulder and she screamed. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Part 3: A small, firm hand clamped over Mary Lynnette's mouth. "Geez, Mare, you'll wake everyone up." Kestrel warned turning Mary Lynnette's head so that she could see her face. Satisfied she wouldn't scream again, Kestrel let go, "I didn't mean to startle you." Mary Lynnette closed her eyes, letting her heart beat slow a little "It's all right, I thought you were Claudine." Ash jerked the door open and tripped over a sheet that was wrapped his waist. Kestrel scowled at him, looked at Mary Lynnette, then back at Ash. "Don't even tell me, I don't want to know." She said, arching a disdainful eyebrow at her brother. "What are you doing out anyway?" Ash asked, trying his best to look stern despite being clad in a sheet that had pink roses on it. "We have werewolves." She announced like an exterminator referring to termites. "The garden variety or assasins?" Ash suddenly looked very serious stiffening, his eyes flashed a brief silvery yellow "Assasins, Petra and Lyrhae." "Great." Ash sighed, just when he thought he might be able to convince Mary Lynnette to become a vampire. If he ever got his powers back. Werewolves kept creeping back into their lives. "They're after me aren't they?" "That would be my guess. You saw them kidnap Beth." Ash said, watching her disappear into her room and return carrying letter opener she had stabbed Jeremy with. It glistened in the light shining in the hall. Kestrel nodded, "Petra doesn't like to be outdone by a human." "I don't like to kill either, but I'm not going to become puppy chow because some werewolf has decided to have PMS." "Not touching that one." Ash muttered shutting the door behind him. They heard a loud thump, something heavy scraped across the floor, and Ash swore out loud. Mary Lynnette bit back a grin. She forgot to warn him about the stool sitting in the middle of the floor. "Don't worry Mare, Thierry is sending Thea, Lupe, and Clarissa here with some wards to go around the house with a special surprise just for Petra and Lyrhae." "When will they be here?" "About 9 A.M. Rowan. Jade and I will be patrolling the area until they get here." Mary Lynnette nodded. She felt safer knowing that they were looking out for her and knowing the Thierry was actually going to help protect her. The members of Circle DayBreak were certainly turning out different from what she had thought they would be. The world she was thrown into the night she met Ash's sisters was becoming more real and inviting as time passed. She didn't feel as much shock each time the sisters disappeared to feed. Nor did she notice the strange hours they kept. To her they seemed to be normal everyday people who had some quirky mannerisms. Carefully closing the door, Mary Lynnette eased across the wood floor. When her feet came in contact with the rug beside her bed she dropped the letter opener on the nightstand. Why she kept it there, or kept it at all, she couldn't understand. It was a reminder of the night she killed Jeremy. True, it was an accident, sort of self defense, but the guilt she felt over it haunted her dreams at night. Nightmares woke her to blurry images of a werewolf's silhouette in the flames that erupted from her car. Ash's bloody still form lying on the ground. Hearing him apologize for the world he had unceremoniously dumped her in, shattering the illusions she had of her world, and nearly getting her killed. It was all his fault he'd said. She'd let him believe that for the entire time he'd been gone, but she was partly to blame for that night too. She just couldn't let go of her idea of the perfect guy and Ash certainly didn't fit her plans. She couldn't accept him for what he was, her soulmate, a vampire, but her soulmate nonetheless. Sighing, she slipped back under the covers with Ash. "Ash?" She whispered, thinking he might be asleep. "Yeah?" She snickered, "There's a foot stool in the middle of the floor." "Really? I didn't notice." He wiggled his offended toes against her leg for emphasis. "Pink roses look good on you too." She poked one of the roses over his navel, noting that he was wearing his jeans. "Oh, you're just a barrel of monkeys aren't you?" The room was strangely quiet. Uneasy silence settled in the thick blackness of the room. A single moonbeam filtered through the curtains pooling on the floor in front of the window. Mary Lynnette stared at it. Muscles in her throat tightened and convulsed. "Ash?" "Any other bit of wisdom you wish to impart to save what's left of my pride?" "No," She said with a sniffle, "I'm scared." Ash rolled on his side and gathered her in his arms, gently stroking her hair. His grip tightened around her, feeling about as useful as a fifth wheel. "I know and I'm useless." Lightening hot anger shot through her and Mary Lynnette shoved him away, "Because you're human, you think you're useless! I should have known you couldn't be happy as long as you're human." "You're used to this, I'm not." "I might be weak vermin or food to you, but I'm not useless, helpless or powerless! Damn you! I can at least take care of myself!" Ash held up his hands in surrender. "Hold it! Let's just get a grip okay?" "You're not useless, I need you." She dashed angrily at the tears running down her cheek with the back of her hand. Ash reached out and traced her cheekbones with his thumbs, brushing away tears, "You're not weak vermin or food. I've never seen you as anything except my soulmate. Mare, I love you." Mary Lynnette nodded, allowing him to hold her again. "Why are you dressed?" "In case we have visitors." She leaned her head against his shoulder wishing with all her might that his powers would return before morning while knowing deep in her heart they would probably never return. This was her fault. He'd wished to become human to suit her. Now that he was human, she wanted the old Ash back. Snuggling closer to Ash, she settled on the resolution of making up for her selfish behavior. Sunrise streaked across the morning sky in brilliant pink and orange hues. Ash and Mary Lynnette watched from the safety of her bedroom window. Mary Lynnette's heart beat in fear as it had all night. Something was going to happen. She could feel it and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She cracked her fingers nervously trying to focus on what was troubling her. "Mare, what's wrong?" "I just have a bad feeling that something is going to go wrong." "You're just tired." "I hope so." The phone rang. A few seconds later Mark knocked on her door. "Mare, open up," He hesitated for a moment, "I know Ash is in there." Fortunately, they were dressed so Mary Lynnette let Mark in. "I just got the weirdest call, some girl said the plane crashed with the witches and Lupe on it but there's no television reports about a plane crash." "Where?" Ash asked. "About a mile from the air strip near Briar Creek." "Stay here Mare." "I'm going." She grabbed her letter opener and shoved it into her waistband. Ash sighed deeply, "Mare . . ." The door swung lightly on its hinges as she left without allowing him the opportunity to argue his point. "Women, ya gotta love 'em." Mark mumbled following his sister out the door, Ash trailing behind. The road was covered in a veil of fog as Mary Lynnette guided the van along the winding road perched on the side of a mountain heading toward the air strip on top. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and yawned. "Sleepy?" Ash asked, anxious to be useful for a change. "Want me to drive?" "Uhh, no thanks. I'll be okay." "Should have gotten more sleep." Mark told her, eyeing Ash to see his reaction. Unfortunately, Ash wasn't taking the bait. Mary Lynnette frowned at Mark in the mirror. "Keep your thoughts to yourself, Shit!" The brakes screeched making the van slide sideways through a curve. The tires struck loose gravel and spun around in a circle, coming to a halt just inches from a cliff. A fuselage of a small plane lay in the middle of the road behind the van. Mary Lynnette flopped against her seat,out of breath. "Everyone okay?" She asked, turning around to check her passengers as they picked themselves up from the floor. "Well, there is a plane down." She added fumbling with her seatbelt that had jammed when she locked the brakes down on the van. Ash hopped out, rubbing his head where it had cracked against the door, feeling a little nauseous. He heard Mark climb out as well while Mary Lynnette was swearing at her seatbelt. He looked up at the solid rock wall the plane had obviously crashed into then at the plane in confusion. "That's not Thierry's jet." Then it hit him. They had walked into a trap. He started shoving Mark back toward the van, "Get in the van!" He looked over his shoulder for Petra and Lyrhae. "Uh oh." He heard Mark say Petra, in half form, blocked their path to the van. "Just stay where you are Redfern, we only want the vermin girl." "Don't touch her Petra." He warned feeling a strange spark trickling through his veins. "Or what, Ashy poo? I know you can't fight me while you're human." Petra taunted. Rippling waves were shooting through his blood. He felt his eyes trying to change to their silvery vampire shade even as his teeth ached with the need to elongate. His hands started to shake with repressed power. He pushed Mark toward the plane focusing on the thought "Get behind the plane." He hoped Mark could hear and felt a small measure of relief when Mark did exactly that. "OOooh, Ash thinks he can take me Lyrhae." A half demented laugh came from the back of the van, "Wonder what made human tastes like?" Mary Lynnette had stopped struggling with her seatbelt, her eyes riveted in terror on the werewolf facing Ash. She frantically hit the doorlock switch effectively keeping Lyrhae at bay for a few minutes. She whipped out her letter opener, making sure Lyrhae could see it and ran her finger along its glistening silver edges while pointedly looking at Lyrhae's chest. "Oh come now Ashy baby, she's just a human. Oh, yeah, I forgot, you're human too." Petra dropped to all fours and licked her lips, "Want a taste of made human, Lyrhae?" She asked just as she finished changing and leapt for Ash. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Part 4: In one swift, fluid movement Ash sidestepped the werewolf's airborne body. His arm shot out at the last second grasping the animal's fur and jerking her backward. Her body flipped to the side knocking her to the ground, her back skidding across the loose gravel.. She rolled over, snarling, drool hanging in long strands over her lips. A pink tongue darted out over her teeth as if she could already taste Ash's flesh in her mouth. "That's a beautiful look on you." Ash said watching the werewolf's pupils dilate in rage, "Drool is the "in" look this year." Petra snapped at him her jaws sounding like steel traps. They circled each other. Ash blinked. Petra used the brief distraction to lunge again. The world tipped backward as Ash lost his balance to the massive werewolf snapping at his hands and throat while standing on his chest. She picked him up and slung him across the road. He landed head first and flipped over several times. Before Ash could move she was standing on him again tearing at his throat. Gravel bit into his back. More power surged through him on the primal waves of pain and fear. His mouth twitched and he willed the vampire power, trapped in his blood to come forth. something gave, but it wasn't enough to return his power. Instead, it drove his anger. Adrenaline surged through him. Fight or flight. His instincts said fight. Ash caught her lower jaw with his bare hand. Ignoring the agony of Petra's teeth ripping through the flesh of his hand, he forced her jaw down toward the ground. Using his free hand, he grasped the nape of her neck and snaked around her head until he had hold of her snout. Petra tried to back away, her paws sliding through the loose gravel, but Ash wasn't letting go. Using her body for leverage, Ash braced himself and with the last of his adrenaline induced strength, Ash threw his weight into twisting her head,snapping her spine. Petra stopped struggling. Her body twitched violently. Drool spilled over him and Ash's stomach rolled. He struggled to free himself from the weight of the paralyzed werewolf that pinned him to the ground hoping she shifted soon. Mark peeked out from around the plane and scrambled to help Ash. Petra slowly shifted back to her human form, struggling to breathe. Thick rasping sounds came from her chest. Her eyes glazed over with a translucent white haze, drool and blood oozed out the corner of her mouth. "She isn't dead." Mark said watching Petra's chest rise and fall in a ragged tempo. "I know, but she'll never shift again, or walk. She's no danger anymore." Ash eased the tiny boned girl off of him and pushed himself up, swaying dizzily. His head throbbed from one too many contacts with the ground. Mark's eyes fell to Ash's injured limbs. Bone and muscle were visible from the wounds on Ash's hands and forearms. Ash swung around looking for Lyrhae who had managed to break into the van. Mary Lynnette held her at bay with the letter opener. He and Mark started in the van's direction when the sound of brakes caught their attention. A brown station wagon slammed into the plane's fuselage knocking it into the van with an explosion of glass and flying metal. "NO!" Ash screamed watching the van disappear over the cliff with Mary Lynnette and Lyrhae inside. The sound of crunching, twisting metal moaned through the mountain side. Sick fear swam through Ash as he peered over the cliff at the van lying on its top at the bottom of the ravine. He could still sense her, she was alive. Thin lines of smoke curled up in the cool morning air and then the van exploded. Mark curled his knees to his chest and wept. More brakes screeched from the road and he and Mark heard Rowan shout. "What happened?" "The van went over the cliff!" Ash called back, trying to find a good way to get down to the wreckage. "Oh dear goddess." Kestrel prayed and plunged heedlessly down the cliff, Jade and Rowan following her. Thea ran back to Thierry's car and dialed 911. She grabbed her first aid kit about the time Jade and Mark crawled inside the airplane and reappeared with two solar blankets and another first aid kit. Ash felt Clarissa's gnarled hand on his shoulder as they watched his sisters wind their way down to the wreckage. Rowan stopped, looking to her left at some bushes. "Ash! She's alive!" Lifting Mary Lynnette from the brush, Rowan started back to the road smiling the whole way listening to the whoops of joy coming from overhead. Mary Lynnette's body hung limply in her arms. Blood stained her shirt and dripped down Rowan's legs. Rowan knew there was probably no way to save her, but put on the show of her life anyway for Ash's sake. "Put her here." Clarissa ordered, pointing to the blankets Mark spread on the ground. She and Thea worked feverishly over Mary Lynnette's still form. Clarissa raised tear-filled eyes to Ash and shook her head. "There's nothing to be done." "What about vampire blood?" Jade whispered. "She's too far gone." Thea's voice cracked. Ash gently brushed the blood soaked matted hair from Mary Lynnette's face. Luminous brown eyes stared past him into the clouds. She blinked once and looked at Ash. No, he realized, she was looking through him. He heard a small whisper in his mind and strained to listen closely to her last words, "I love you." She smiled and swallowed a gurgling sound. A tiny sigh escaped her parted lips and she was gone. He felt their connection snap. Poof. It was gone. He lifted her broken body to his and buried his face in her hair. She was still warm and smelled of the rose scented shampoo she'd used that morning. One tear slipped down his cheek and then another. People who had stopped to help were weeping around him but he didn't care. He only wanted Mary Lynnette to wake up or maybe he was dreaming. This had to be a bad dream, he told himself, just a bad dream and he was going to wake up any moment to find Mary Lynnette's beautiful body stretched out beside his. He felt the coldness he'd known before coming. The hatred over the human's weakness, except he was human too. A human with no family and now no soulmate to share his world. Blackness engulfed his body and he shouted her name. *** Quinn watched Ash turn restlessly in his sleep. He had been mumbling for hours. "How is our paient today?" Clarissa asked, poking her head in the door "Talking in his sleep." "Wouldn't you just love to understand what he's saying?" Clarissa grinned an infectious, mischevious grin. "I'm afraid to know. He looked too happy for a few minutes." Quinn gave her one of those 'ya know what I mean ' grins. Clarissa chuckled, shutting the door. She had a pretty good idea what hewas dreaming about. Ash suddenly sat bolt upright, his eyes wide open but he obviously wasn't awake. "What the hell?" Quinn jumped back startled by the sudden move. Ash started to stand but Quinn put a restraining hand on his chest. Ash resisted, shoving his hand away. "C'mon Ash you're going to hurt yourself." "Where's her body?" "Whose body?" "Mare? Where's her body?" Ash pushed Quinn, sending him flying backwards over the chair he had been sitting in. Quinn stood, dazed and confused, since when did Ash attack anybody? He shook his head to clear it, where was Ash? He caught Ash as he tried to go into the hallway and successfully managed to shut him in the room. The door fortunately was wooden. Ash hammered on the door and shouted like a mad man about Mare's body. James, and Thierry ran, Clarissa limped in their wake toward Quinn who had sank to the floor his hand on his head, elbow resting on his knee. God, he'd just missed the opportunity of a lifetime, an excuse to beat the living hell out of Ash. The door shook furiously under Ash's assault. Of course if this kept up, he could probably still claim the right to throw the first punch. He could just hear Rashel's response when she found out Ash had turned him a flip. "What happened?" Thierry asked, looking at the door as it jerked in its frame and thankful it was made of wood. "He sat up and started this." Quinn nodded in the door's direction. A tiny hand touched Thierry's arm. "I think I can help." Bright, shining eyes pleaded with Thierry's. He nodded and stepped away from the door that had stopped shaking. Ash had apparently calmed down. Ash didn't acknowledge the feet shuffling through the thick carpet nor did he look up when whomever the feet belonged to knelt in front of him. He remained huddled into as tiny a ball as he could make out of his body his arms draped over his knees and his head lying on them. What caught his attention was the sparkling silver cord that went super nova the minute two small female hands touched his. "Mare?" His head snapped up, "You're dead." His eyes looked like two sunken gold marbles hidden in his pale face. Mary Lynnette frowned, "I don't feel dead." Her breath whooshed out of her when Ash crushed her to him. "How? You were dead in my arms, you were dead." He kept saying over and over threading his fingers through her hair. It was her, really, really her and he was never letting her out of his sight again. "You were having a nightmare, a bad dream." She said leaning back to lay her hands on his cheeks. "See, my hands are warm. You're the one who's supposed to be dead. You got staked and you've been unconscious for a week from wood poisoning." "I'm not human?" Mary Lynnette swallowed a giggle since he looked so serious. "No, you're lamia through and through, you big stupid gorilla." She leaned in to him and pressed a warm kiss on his mouth. Ash kissed her back urgently tasting her mouth assuring himself she was really there, alive and well and that he wasn't dreaming. His hands slipped under her shirt, caressing her back, pulling her close. The warmth of her flesh, the scent of her perfume, the taste of her mouth all assured him that she really was there and that he'd been dreaming. He buriied his face in her hair, inhaling deeply. "Don't leave me again." Sensing his seriousness, Mary Lynnette didn't argue that he was the one who left. "I won't." Reluctantly, Mary Lynnette untangled her body from his, "There is a hall full of people waiting for me to give the all clear signal." "Later?" His eyes glittered with promise. Mary Lynnette nodded, "Later." then she added "After I give you a piece of my mind for not coming back when you said you would." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Part 5: Beth watched Mary Lynnette pacing the floor of her guest suite. Beth shook her head as Mary Lynnette washed her face and reapplied her make up for the third time. She was genuinely concerned for her cousin and her soulmate. They had run head long into more obstacles in their stormy relationship than she and Hunter had ever experienced. "What is wrong Mare?" Beth finally asked partly to help Mary Lynnette and partly to get her to stop the pacing that was making her nervous. Mary Lynnette picked up her brush and attacked her hair with it. "I promised to talk to Ash, well actually to give him a piece of my mind for not coming back when he said he would.'" She threw her hands up in frustration, "But I can't be mad at him. My God, he got staked trying to protect you. How am I supposed to be mad for that?" She looked at the brush like it had sprouted arms and tossed it on the bed. "What is wrong with this picture? When did he become a knight in shining armor?" "Mare, " Beth said softly, "for the first time in his life, he's doing something right." "I know and that's making me nuts." "Am I missing something here?" The pained look on Mary Lynnette's face confused Beth. "Never mind." She took Mary Lynnette by the hand and led her to a balcony over looking the garden area. A crystal clear pool sparkled just below. Water splashed and laughter carried in the darkness. Quinn and Rashel were enjoying a late night swim. Cool desert air with the soft scent of jasmine whispered through the garden. A full moon watched over its domain in serene silence. Movement by one of the giant columns that dotted the outer perimeter of the garden caught Mary Lynnette's attention. "Ash is down there." Beth said innocently. She didn't have to tell Mary Lynnette, she could sense him. His nervousness seemed to swallow him. It showed in every stiff move he made. He sat down, his back against the column and watched the couple frolicking in the pool. "What am I supposed to say to him? Hi. I'm not really mad at you and I'm glad you saved Beth's life now let's forget you broke your promise?" "Mare, you know way down in here that he couldn't come back." Beth poked Mary Lynnette's chest right over her heart. "I really don't know what the problem is, the REAL problem but I think you'll find his arms the safest place in the world instead of hiding in that shell you're in." That comment startled Mary Lynnette "You and your psychology are beginning to spook me." "Why don't you give him that bracelet you bought for him?" Mary Lynette glowered at Beth, "You're very spooky since you met up with Hunter." She grabbed her purse, "How did you know about this?" "I'm psychic," Beth smiled, "anyway today is Ash's birthday." "Oh." Some birthday, she thought, watching Ash lean his head back against the column looking up. At the stars, she realized. He really did look at the stars, probably wished on them too. She had a feeling she knew exactly what he was wishing. The same wish he'd made the day he left Brair Creek. To be human. "Mare, if not for yourself, then do it for him. He's so very different from what you think about him. Look at it this way. He's a typical macho teen-age guy who likes fast cars and pretty girls. So what if he's a vampire? He loves you and I think he's kicked himself a thousand times over for not going back for you." Mary Lynnette thought for a few minutes. When had Beth become so insightful? Look who her soulmate was, if anyone deserved a cold shoulder from a soulmate, it was Hunter Redfern. She dug around in her purse and pulled out the box holding the bracelet she had purchased a few weeks before Ash was supposed to return to Briar Creek. She studied the heavy silver trinket. His name was engraved on the top and on the underside her initials plus the word SOULMATES. Rowan's suggestion so that the NightWorld couldn't trace her by her name. She dropped the bracelet into the box and looked at Ash again. She hugged Beth. "You watch Hunter, I don't trust him." Beth shrugged, "I can't help it. I came back from the dead you know, just for him." Mary Lynnette snorted, "Yes, and you gained a son who's older than you are." "Quit delaying the inevitable. Go claim your soulmate" Nervous butterflies felt like they riding an angry ocean wave in her stomach as Mary Lynnette pushed the French doors open. She was calling a truce, right here, right now, and swallowing her pride. She rubbed her thumb over the velvet jeweler's box like a worry stone. She could do this, she really could. Quinn and Rashel brushed past her casting a knowing glance in her direction. Quinn actually winked at her. Mary Lynnette took a deep breath and stepped around the column."Hi." Her voice was barely audible. Ash patted the ground beside him without looking at her, "Have a seat." A growing sense of deja vu crept over him. He remembered this scene from his nightmare, except this time they weren't arguing. Tension was brittle on the air regardless of their new relationship and it was building as he and Mary Lynnette sat quietly beside each other in the dark. Rough concrete scraped at her legs exposed below the flowered skirt she had decided to wear over her bathing suit. "I . . . .I brought you a birthday present. It isn't anything fancy but I thought you'd like it." She held the box out to him. Ash looked at the box like it might bite him. He took it from her hand. Mary Lynnette wondered if he had ever been given a present from a girl. Ash opened the box and fingered the bracelet like it was the most precious thing he'd ever seen or touched. "It's beautiful." He said holding it up and turning it over. The word Soulmates jumped out at him. the nightmare played in his head again. He prayed he didn't have to re-live it. "Let me help you." Mary Lynnette took the bracelet from him and fastened it around his wrist. The silver links glistened in the moonlight. Ash caught her hand as she drew back. He kissed her wrist, the palm of her hand, each fingertip. Mary Lynnette watched spellbound. Shivers of delight ran up her spine. He gently tugged on her hand drawing her close. The electricity started to tingle where their bare skin touched. "Tell me 'bout the nightmare." She whispered "How 'bout I show you?" His eyes pleaded with hers, she saw the need to explain mingled with the desire to make certain she was here in front of him alive and well, that he was not dreaming this time. The pink mist swirled in dizzying patterns around them as his mouth descended to hers. Their connection was back, or maybe it had never left, getting mired down in the hurt and anger instead. It didn't matter anymore as his lips touched hers in the barest of kisses. Tentative at first then increasing in demand until they were breathless. Pink mist swirled around them silver thread weaving in and out of the clouds. They were together again. She felt his warm breath on her neck, barely noticing his teeth as they sank into her flesh. She found herself a spectator in his nightmare. Violent flashes of werewolves attacking Ash, the van rolling down the mountainside. Ash's hand closed over hers, as Rowan carried her dying body back up the trail. *Don't look Mare.* Ash stepped in front of her, broad shoulders blocked her view. She heard him mutter *That's the last time I feed on someone who just ate at Taco Bell* She looked up at him, trying not to laugh at the comment, *You don't have to keep re-living this.* She tried to peer over his shoulder to see what was so horrible but he didn't budge. *You're protecting me from my death in your dream?* *Protecting myself, I can't look, tell me when it's over.* His eyes lit up as he stepped slightly aside. Mary Lynnette's face heated when he moved. *I see there were some parts that weren't too bad.* Ash's eyes sparkled bright gold. His musical laughter floated through the mist *Can't blame a guy for dreaming.* When Ash pulled away Mary Lynnette was surprised to find herself leaning against the column where he had been. Her thoughts instantly scattered. Her focus was gone. "You okay? Mare you don't look so good." Concerned golden eyes tried to hold hers, maybe he had taken too much blood. "You had quite a nightmare." she was shaking both inside and out. The dream, even from her perspective was very realistic and frightening. Ash had certainly taken quite a bit of punishment from the moment they met in Briar Creek and had almost paid for their connection first with his life then with his sanity. She could understand why he had stayed away. Ash suddenly looked serious, like he had just read her mind. "Mare I couldn't go back for you. It was too dangerous." "I know, but you could have contacted me someway." "No, the millenium battle is coming up and the nightworld is in a panic over the soulmate principle claiming its most powerful leaders. They're upset because three of the four wild powers have been found and they're on Circle DayBreak's side. Now, there's a fifth power who has chosen to remain in hiding. The leaders of the nightworld are terrified that they're going to lose. They're monitoring every form of communication, snail mail, phone conversations, tv and radio broadcasts, e-mail, you name it. I just couldn't take that risk. I decided I would rather let you hate me than get you killed. Then I thought, er, dreamed you died, Mare, I wanted to die too." Mary Lynnette reached out and touched his soft white blonde hair that curled ever so slightly in the humid air. "Thank you for saving Beth." Hadn't she always wanted to touch his hair? Things were so crazy when they first met, that she couldn't recall anything except her adamant refusal to join him. So much for standing by the causes you believe in. But then, what was her cause? Everyone is equal? Well she certainly had a skewed view of the definition of equal by treating Ash like he was scum of the earth because he was a vampire. Talk about prejudice. Do not kill? She still believed in that, but she had learned in that time, that self preservation could be a good reason to kill. If she really wanted to be very technical, she hadn't abandoned that idea, just modified it a little She and sweet, good hearted Rowan had had several heart felt conversations in the time since Jeremy died. In her heart she had always known, felt, understood why he hadn't come back. Now he was here, in front of her and absolutely different from the person she watched walk away from her home. His dragons slain and in hand. Technically he had kept his promise. "Mare? You're daydreaming." He was still watching her, sitting on his knees, ready to respond in a heart beat A smile slowly lit her face. "I'm just thinking about all the wishes, daydreams, and nightmares that have plagued us from the beginning." He nodded in understanding, most of what they had shared was a nightmare. Time to look to the future, he decided. "How 'bout a new memory?" Mischief twinkled in his eyes. Her fingers wrapped around his arm and he leaned toward her, scooping her up into his arms. Somewhere in the moonlit night she heard the strains of an old Richard Marx song, Hold on to the night playing. The 'night' she wanted to hold forever blinked at her with passionate hooded eyes. New memories were starting tonight and promised to continue into forever. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The Morning After: With a deep, contented sigh, Ash rolled over on his stomach. His arm snaked across the bed searching for Mary Lynnette. Cool, rumpled sheets greeted him in her place. Raising up on his elbows he scanned the room. The sound of the shower drifted to his alert ears. A slow, wicked smile spread across his face as plan "B" formed in his head. Standing inside the luxurious shower that had two benchseats and two shower heads in it, Mary Lynnette groaned when the hot shower hit her back. Every muscle in her body ached especially in her thighs and butt. Taking slow deep, relaxing breaths, she felt her muscles loosen a bit. She smiled to herself, a sore body was not a bad price to pay for what she and Ash had shared last night. A price she decided she would happily pay every night for the rest of her life. Steam shot up around her when the bathroom door opened. The glass door swung open next and Ash stepped in the shower. He flashed her toothy smile and acted like showering with her was the most ordinary thing in the world. He picked up a bar of lavendar scented soap and lathered up a wash cloth. "This should have been sandalwood or Jasmine scented." He murmured lathering her shoulders and back with a firm circular massaging motion, pausing to work on the knots in her sore back. "Why?" Mary Lynnette asked breathlessly, barely able to speak. "The scents that are supposed to put you in the mood, Sandalwood, Jasmine, a couple others, but I forget their names, deep spicy fragrances." Warm ripples descended through her muscles when his hands circled around her shoulders. Ash's soapy, slippery fingers outlined the tips of her breasts rousing a melting sweetness within her that spread through her body. Slowly his hands moved downward skimming the outside of her thighs, garnering a moan from her lips. "Sore?" He whispered in her ear. The warmth of his breath against her damp skin sent delicious shivers down her spine. She nodded, unable to answer "Only one cure for that." He hinted turning her in his arms. Under the streaming water,the soap slid off her body pooling in puddles at their feet. "Oh?" His hands moved gently down the length of her back, exploring the soft curves of her hips and thighs. Mary Lynnette leaned up on her toes drawing his face to hers, a dreamy intimacy to their kiss. Her hands slid up the hard, defined lines of his chest, slipping around his neck. Mary Lynnette slipped one leg around his waist at his insistent, gentle tug. His arousal quite obvious. Mentally she heard him chuckle. Surprised, her eyes flew to his. "What?" Passion filled shifting eyes shimmered in mischief at her "In the shower?" "Mmmmm, everywhere." He dropped kisses along her shoulder, to the base of her neck. Bending to draw a nipple into his mouth, he drew circles around it with his tongue. At the same time his fingers explored the soft hair between her legs. His tongue darted into her navel getting a squeal of delight from Mary Lynnette. He lifted her small foot and placed it on the shower seat as he knelt in front of her. His tongue traced a blazing trail along the inside of her thigh. He paused for her reaction, "Ash Redfern, don't tease." Mary Lynnette demanded, knowing she would die of disappointment if he stopped now. She moaned when he stroked one finger suggestively along the slick swollen flesh, chuckled at her impatient moan, "You mean hurry up and kiss me damn it?" and kissed her there as if he were kissing her mouth, his tongue dipping deep inside of her then retreating only to repeat the motion immediatley when Mary Lynnette cried out both in surprise and pleasure. Her fingers twisted in his hair because there was nothing else to hold on to except a damp shower wall. He explored every little crevice with his tongue until he found a point that made her body jerk each time he touched it. He suckled the tiny throbbing tip until Mary Lynnette's legs nearly buckled. She was powerless to the white hot fire rushing through her blood. Suddenly he shifted upward, taking the leg that was propped on the seat and guiding it to wrap around his waist. "Still sore?" His hand stroked the thigh of her other leg, pulling at it. "No." She said, kissing him, tasting her own musky scent on his mouth. Obediently wrapping her other leg around his waist at his request. Her arms clasped around his neck. "Now what?" Mary Lynnette asked, a little naughty glimmer in her eyes. Her eyes lit with delight when he put his hands on her hips and forced her downward until he was inside her as far as he could go in this particular position. Her fingers bit into his flesh as he withdrew and repeated the same move over and over until the long deep strokes became short, ramming strokes. The same fire that had flowed through her earlier whipped through her again except it was more violent and hotter than before. Fiery red and gold flames swirled around them in a dance that threatened to consume her very soul. Even she was surprised by the volcanic onslaught of emotions and desire that erupted from her mouth followed by some obscenities that made Ash laugh. "Naughty girl." He teased, though there was no doubt that he'd had the same almost religious experience. He slapped her on the butt, pretending to punish her for the words that had tumbled out of her mouth earlier. "Never thought I'd hear such things from your saintly little mouth." He joked, kissing her only to be startled when her tongue darted out to touch his. A second, stronger wave of desire ignited his blood Ash swept her into his arms and Mary Lynnette giggled. "Where are we going?" "Three guesses, first two don't count." Cool air created goose bumps on her flesh. The blue silk covers were neatly folded back o n the bed. Gently he eased her down on the bed, their lips never parting. He leaned back on his elbow thinking he had never seen anything as perfect as Mary Lynnette. He suddenly wanted to take his time with her this time. His hand slipped over her taut stomach and into the soft hair at the juncture of her thighs, his touch light and painfully teasing. Instinctively her body arched into his as the tender massage sent currents of desire through her, each curling tighter and faster than the last. "Don't tease me, Ash." A deep, sexy, masculine chuckle rumbled in his chest. "As you wish, Mare." His body moved to cover hers, then drove slowly, rhythmically into her. He enjoyed the little gasp that escaped her lips when he entered her, like the first time. He knew no one else had ever touched her. She was his to love. His alone. Mary Lynnette pressed her hips into his trying desperately to follow his lead, to give him as much pleasure as he gave her. Their bodies moved in exquisite harmony with one another, contentment and peace flowed between them like a living thing. Heat built until Mary Lynnette's body began to vibrate with liquid fire. On a shuddering breath she sobbed, "Ash." and the world exploded into a million glowing stars. Ash's body shuddered against hers and they lay in the completeness of their love. With a trembling finger, Mary Lynnette reached out to trace Ash's jaw, then his lips. "I love you." He caught her finger and kissed its tip, then gently drew it into his mouth. Watching the desire bank in her sleepy eyes. "I love you too." He cradled her body to his, his hand possessively twisting in her hair before succumbing to the numbing sleep of satisfied lovers. The End. © Rua Bran Ravenlock (ruabrannnw@aol.com)