I dipped my head under the water, feeling him reach to stroke my shoulder. A shudder ran through my body as I rose to my feet. I found myself standing before him, still in the tub, with beads of water dripping down my body. His face never changed, he just sat there looking at me with the most beautiful brown eyes. I stepped out of the tub onto the tiny white carpet. I started to head for the door, stepping off the bathmat. My wet foot touched the marble floor and went out from under me. Pallo grabbed me. I hadn"t heard him get out of the tub, he just appeared behind me. I turned to him. His brown hair hung to his shoulders. The ends were soaked, but the rest was dry. I slid a hand up his arm and touched his wet shirt. I could see his erect nipples through it. The same uncontrollable desire that had seized hold of me with Caleb came flooding back. I looked at how his wet clothes hugged his body. His body was sculpted, it was beautiful, and it was standing before me. I was naked and ready for him. I pulled myself closer to him, allowing my body to brush his.
"No," he said.
I could feel his desire for me and it drove me to continue onward. I rubbed my wet b.r.e.a.s.t.s against his shirt slowly as I put my hands on his waist band. His stomach tightened to my touch as he started to pull away from me.
"We have forever, my love, forever." The words flowed from his mouth sweetly but stung my ears.
"I can smell your desire for me." I could feel my power building up. My body was getting warmer and warmer. Desire was eating me alive. I wanted to have his body touching mine and knew he wanted it, too. He backed up and was further away from me now, he closed his eyes tightly.
"I will not take you when you are still under the influence of the spell."
"You don"t want me?" I asked, hurt and confused. I"d thought that Pallo had felt the same for me. I thought that he wanted to touch me as badly as I wanted to touch him.
The energy ran through my veins like a drug. If he didn"t want me then fine, I"d find somebody else. I spun around and stormed out of the bathroom. When I entered the bedroom, Caleb was standing in there. I smiled.
Next victim.
"I have more information about the troll attack on you," he said. His gaze fell upon my wet naked body, and he stood very still. He looked to the slightly ajar bathroom door.
"I"m guessing Pallo"s in there," he said, bitterly.
Heat rose through my body, spilling out from me to him. I lifted my hand and thought of him standing before me nude. My power poured forth from my fingertips and onto him. I was now emitting a slight buzz, and didn"t recognize the power that flowed within me. It wasn"t mine, and it was attacking Caleb.
Caleb shrieked as his clothes began to rip from his body. A look of shock crossed his face as he tried to hang onto his pants but lost the battle. A smile formed on my mouth, and I didn"t know why. I had never in my life been as aggressive as this. I wanted to have s.e.x and it didn"t matter who I had it with. I met Caleb"s eyes and saw that they harbored desire for me as well. He stood before me, cupping his groin like I hadn"t seen it before. I could tell that he was completely erect and wanted nothing more than to be inside me.
His eyes focused on something behind me. I turned and found Pallo standing in the room with us. Anger flashed on his face. They no longer looked brown to me, now they were black, pooling pits of rage.
"GET OUT!" he screamed at Caleb.
I could not let that happen. I couldn"t let Caleb leave, or more correctly, the power that now owned me could not let him go. I wanted someone touching me now, I needed it. Caleb made a sudden movement toward the door. I threw my hand up and used the power that ran through me to call upon the wind and force the door shut. He grabbed the handle but couldn"t get it to budge. A laugh came from my mouth. I knew that this magic would be stronger than even his faerie strength.
"Please, Gwen ... open the door." He was afraid of Pallo, or was it me? A flash came from behind me and I knew it was Pallo going after Caleb. I put my hand up and forced the energy out at him. He staggered backwards and fell to the floor. I was scared that I had killed him. I tried to fight the powerful spell that gripped me. It was stronger than my magical abilities--h.e.l.l, it was stronger than Caleb"s.
The desire swarmed over me, calling me, making my inner thighs burn for Caleb"s touch. I wanted his body close to mine and knew I could make him want me too.
G.o.d, what was I doing?
Something else was taking me over, something sinister. I was being compelled by l.u.s.t, by need. Raw, s.e.xual desire held control of me. I cried out in pain and dropped to my knees. I tried to focus on containing the energy, but I couldn"t. I looked at Pallo"s body on the floor near me. I reached my hand out and tried to touch him. He was my lifeline and I knew that if I could just graze his skin, that he could help me fight it.
Pallo"s eyes opened, and he looked at me. They held no sign of anger. They looked sad and lost.
"Help me!" My voice was small as the words came out of my mouth.
Something ripped at my insides and drew my attention back to Caleb. The magical spell seemed drawn to him. He"d been with me when I ate the fruit, and he was who the spell wanted. Yes, my mind and body craved to have Pallo"s pale hand caressing me, but the magic in me wanted faerie. It wanted Caleb, and I think a small part of me did, too.
"Caleb." I heard the words come from my mouth, but it didn"t sound like me at all, "Come here." He turned slowly and started toward me.
Inside my head I was screaming at him to stop helping our little problem, but he kept walking towards me. The black magic ran through me. It beat in my head, over and over, pounding like drums until I lost track of my own protests. It consumed me with its fierceness and left me in pain, disoriented. Pressure was building in my head and I was losing my ability to think clearly. I had a feeling of fire shooting from my chest and knew it was the power spilling outwards. As hard as I tried to contain it, it didn"t work. It grabbed hold of Caleb and gave him the same need I had--for s.e.x.
Caleb was on me in an instant, his body curved around mine. He lifted me off the ground and threw me onto the bed. I couldn"t hide my excitement and opened my legs wide to welcome him. He kissed my neck and worked his way down to my b.r.e.a.s.t.s.
The power running in me propelled outward and seemed to encircle Caleb. It enclosed him in my web of need, of l.u.s.t, making him want to be in me as badly as I wanted him there. I may have been motivated by a l.u.s.t spell, but I knew that they only worked on willing parties, and I was obviously very willing.
I moved my body out from under Caleb and pushed him down on his back on the bed. The power that was circling him encompa.s.sed me as well. It lifted me up gently, allowing me to position myself just right above him. I found myself standing on the bed over Caleb"s naked body. I stood above him and looked down at his eager body. He was hard and ready for me. I lowered myself onto him. I was tight but wet, so it slid in with ease. I let my weight rest fully on his hips, as he filled me up, unable to move from the shock of something that size in me, and out of fear that if I moved I"d never be able to stop. My body ached to ride him. His c.o.c.k flexed within me and I cried out in pleasure. My body responded to him, and I began to make tiny figure eights with my hips on him. He was reaching up and cupping my b.r.e.a.s.t.s, pulling me towards him. I leaned forward and lifted my hips up and down on him. I varied my speed fast, then slow--fast, then slow. Tiny grunting noises came from me, and Caleb echoed them.
My b.r.e.a.s.t.s bounced near his mouth. He leaned his face up and sucked sweetly on one nipple--pulling it tight, taunt, and erect. My abdomen grew warm, before heading straight to feverish. I"d never experienced anything like this before. Sure, I"d had o.r.g.a.s.ms before. Ken had seen to that, but this was different, this was so much more. It was a blending of magiks, souls, and body. Caleb"s power rode through me, marking me, making me his.
He reached his hands around my back and grabbed my b.u.t.t, pushing me down harder onto him. He was hot and hard, and I wanted all that he had to offer. The heat within me was growing and my face started to flush. As I sat on the brink of an o.r.g.a.s.m I gave into it and lost control, pushing my body onto his with a speed I hadn"t known I"d possessed.
I looked into Caleb"s beautiful glowing green eyes and saw my reflection in them. I had a fraction of a second to wonder why I had thought they were green before seeing my reflection in them. I was a stranger to myself, and I found that oddly liberating. I went wild with frantic pushes. I wanted him to fill me with his hot juices--I wanted to bathe in it. I fell to his side, my leg touching him while he released himself. It splattered up my leg and I felt his warmth running down my thigh. I had an uncontrollable urge to get back on him and catch any leftovers.
Waste not, want not, right?
Caleb pulled me to him. His mouth found me, and his tongue went in search of mine. He found it, and I let my body rest as we kissed. My legs were wet and slick with the juice of love making, and I could feel him flexing his member under me--teasing me, taunting me. My body grew hot again, in answer to him. I ran my fingers down and touched him. He was slick, wet, and ready to go again. I let my slippery lower half rub against him, caressing, encouraging him to enter me. He moved, eased his body over mine, supporting his weight on his strong arms.
Waves of silky blonde hair fell around our faces. For a moment it was just the two of us, on the cusp of joining again. Caleb moved a hand through his hair, pushing his over one shoulder, letting me see into his eyes. His eyes held something I hadn"t seen before, pure unadulterated need. He looked hungry for me, even though he should have been sated.
I heard something rustling on the floor near the bed. I was too fixated on Caleb"s shimmering eyes to bother with it. He pushed himself into me, slowly.
I cried out. "Yes! Oh, yes!"
Caleb pulled out. I felt every inch of him exiting my tight entrance. Our bodies made strange sounds from all the fluids smeared on us. I wanted more. I begged him for it. He kept himself propped above and brought his c.o.c.k back into me, even slower than the last time. I felt him growing harder inside of me, and was shocked because I had thought he was already at full length. My v.a.g.i.n.al muscles clenched him, their need barely outweighing my own. He moaned and thrust into me harder, faster--chanting my name over and over, slamming into me. My toes went numb first, then my thighs, b.u.t.t, and groin. I screamed out for him to join me in my moment of ecstasy. His b.u.t.t clenched tight as he rammed himself into me. He stayed there, filling me with his sweet, magical juices before collapsing on me.
I held onto his shoulders for dear life, feeling that if I let go, he would leave me, and take with him the magic that we shared. The need for him scared me and excited me all at the same time, and for a brief moment, I wondered if I"d be able to breathe without Caleb near me. This outrageous fear helped to lift the fog that had become my mind.
I turned my head and I saw Pallo on the floor pinned by the black magic I"d shot at him. He was staring at the two of us, tears streaming down his face. I was not so far gone that I didn"t understand the pain I had caused him. Making a two hundred year old master vampire weep wasn"t easy. I could feel his love for me, and felt tears come to my eyes as well. When Pallo saw this, he closed his eyes tight. He could not bear to watch anymore.
Caleb lifted his head to look at me and saw my tears. Something registered in his eyes, and he leapt off me. All the heat drained out of my body, and I could feel the dark spell fading away. It had gotten what it had come for, and had no need to linger, or to see the devastation it left behind.
Caleb was suddenly next to me, looking frightened and confused. "Gwen, I couldn"t stop. I"m...." He turned and smashed his hand into the wall, screaming in rage.
Pallo stood behind him. My eyes widened, my gut clenched, and I feared that he would kill Caleb for something he had no control over. Pallo reached out and put it on Caleb"s shoulder. I gasped. Instantly, Caleb stopped screaming and punching the wall. His shoulders stiffened, and he looked as though he was preparing himself for battle. I prayed that it wouldn"t come to that.
I didn"t know if a vampire was stronger than a faerie, but I was betting Pallo"s rage would be a help, not a hindrance. I couldn"t let this happen. I sat up on the bed. My body was dripping with the leftovers of the evening"s festivities. I searched for a towel, for anything.
I saw Pallo tightening his grip on Caleb"s shoulder, and my stomach curled into a tight knot. "No...." my voice came out, barely above a whisper, and completely unnoticed by them.
"I"m sorry. I should have been able to control myself. I should have...," Caleb said. His fists slid down the wall--bloodied from his blows against it.
"No, va bene--it is all right. I should not have taken her there tonight. I should have known that they would be waiting. I am too old to have been so foolish. I let my need to see the joy on her face when she saw others like her own, and it cost me dearly," Pallo said, his Italian accent the thickest I"d heard it yet. "I have you to thank for bringing her back to me safely, il mio amico--my friend."
Who the h.e.l.l were they? I bent and pulled the top red sheet from the bed, covering myself with it. I was ashamed of myself and wanted to disappear.
Pallo looked at me and lowered his eyes. "We have failed her again, my il mio amico. We have failed her again."
I looked at the two of them. They were so different, yet the same. Both were tall, but one was made like an Adonis, and the other an angel. Was I the devil between them? Had I ruined the fragile friendship they seemed to have? I waited with bated breath for a fight to begin. None did.
When I was sure they weren"t going to rip each other"s head off, I headed back into the bathroom. I went straight for the tub again. It was still full of water. I put my hand in. The water was still warm. How the h.e.l.l hot had Pallo made the first bath? Was he trying to save me or burn me alive? At this stage of the game I didn"t care. I just wanted to get cleaned up and go home.
Chapter 8.
After I finished scrubbing away the day"s festivities, I cracked the bathroom door open and peered into the bedroom. The bedding had been changed to all black. I had to marvel at the speed and efficiency of Pallo"s housekeeping staff. I had yet to see a one of them, and everything was always spotless. I wasn"t sure if I was impressed or spooked. Either way it was clean and tidy again. No trace of what had occurred was to be found.
I had no clean clothes with me, so I wrapped up in a red towel that covered all of me, not that it mattered--I had just given the performance of a lifetime. I felt sick to my stomach thinking about it again. I felt cheap. I hated that piece of me that wasn"t strong enough to fight the spell. I was relieved that it was Caleb that it directed my l.u.s.t to. I would have preferred Pallo, but I was happy that it wasn"t something like one of those disgusting trolls that had attacked me. I shuddered at the thought of having s.e.x with them, and stepped out into the room.
"Feeling better?" Pallo"s voice came from my right. I jumped, startled by his presence.
He was leaning against the wall, on the other side of the bathroom door. If I didn"t know any better I would say he was hiding there. He had changed his clothes and was practically camouflaged with the bedroom decor. I smiled at the thought of needing a search party to locate a vamp in his own room. Calling that in would be hilarious--help, I"ve lost Pallo. His monochromaticness has done him in. I laughed and shook the thought from my head.
Pallo"s hair was pulled back tightly from his face. The loss of his soft brown curls framing his face made him look hard--made him look villainous. I had half a mind to run back into the bathroom and lock the door. I knew he could break it down without really trying, so it seemed silly to bother. I edged out of the doorway, making sure I moved away from him. His eyes dropped to the floor.
"I have no plans to harm you," he said, softly.
I let out a small snort. The phrase "could have fooled me" came to my head. I took another step back from him. "I just want to go home." My voice sounded mousy.
Pallo kept his eyes lowered. I knew he was trying not to stare at me only wearing a towel. I was happy to know he was trying to be polite, but I didn"t really see the point. He had just watched me do another guy on his bed. Short of charging admission, I wasn"t sure how much more a show I could have put on in front of him. Mortified didn"t even come close to describing how I felt.
"I will see to it you get home safely," he said. I heard a but coming on--"I would like to offer you one thing first."
I watched him skeptically, wanting to ask what the condition was, but I wasn"t sure I really wanted to know. He didn"t wait for a response.
"I would like to offer you my friendship," he said, raising his eyes to meet mine.
I couldn"t believe my ears. This guy was offering me his friendship. Was he just waiting to see how I"d react?
"Why?" I asked, waiting for the loophole.
"Chi trova un amico trova un tesoro," he said, his voice wrapping around me, forcing to me to concentrate on breathing again.
I shook my head, knowing I had to look as puzzled as I felt.
"I said, he who finds a friend, finds a treasure."
I thought I"d been on the verge of melting before I knew what he was talking about. Now, I was sure I"d to faint if he kept it up. Pa.s.sing out by way of s.e.xy talk wasn"t how I wanted to go down. I smiled and tried to compose myself. "Pallo, I don"t think this is such a good idea."
"Gwyneth, I would rather have you as a friend than not at all."
My mind raced to the various visions of the two of us I had been having. I got the feeling that there was more to the story than Pallo was letting on to. I also got the feeling that his offering to be strictly friends was a big deal. It gave me the impression that he didn"t offer his friendship to anyone, and that I should take him up on it.
"Strictly friends?" I asked, secretly hoping he"d say no. I didn"t want to be just friends with him.
"If the only thing you wish from me is friendship, then yes. Is that all you wish from me?"
I took a step towards him. "Yes." I was lying through my teeth, and I think he picked up on it. A devilish grin swept over his face. He looked like a kid in candy store--lacking the innocence, of course. His dark brown eyes twinkled. His mouth pulled into a strong, wide smile.
He was enough to make a gal go weak in the knees. Problem was--he knew it. I rolled my eyes and started to walk away.
"Here," he said, holding out an arm full of clothes to me.
"What are those for?"
"Are you planning on wearing my towel home?" he asked.
I blushed. "No, I"m not. But where did you get all of those?"
I counted at least three different dresses. He gave me a wicked little grin. I smacked myself on the forehead lightly. "Don"t tell me you keep women"s clothing lying around the place." I had to laugh. The thought of him buying women"s clothes was just too funny. Sure, it bordered on the weird, but what with Pallo didn"t?
His mood was warming--it was good. "One can never be too prepared," he said, with the slightest hint of laughter in his voice.
I took the clothes and walked to the bed, laying them out on it. There were actually five dresses there. Why was I not surprised that there wasn"t much to them? Three of them were black, one was red, and one was white. They looked like they were all made of spandex. I grabbed the red one. It had the most material to it ... and that wasn"t saying much. I turned and looked at Pallo. He just stood there grinning at me.
"Umm, Pallo, are you going to watch me get dressed? Friends don"t really do that."
He released a small sigh. "It appears that we travel in very different circles. Very different indeed."
"Pallo," I said, making my voice sound stern. All I really wanted to do was bust out laughing. Encouraging his bad boy behavior seemed unwise, so I didn"t.
He nodded, and I watched him leave the room, then s.n.a.t.c.hed up the dress. It looked two sizes smaller than what I normally wore--probably a size four.
I let the towel fall to the floor as I pulled the dress over my head. Something brushed over my breast lightly as I yanked the dress down. I let out a small gasp and tried to hide the fact that it had excited me.
Pallo was standing beside me holding a little red piece of material close to my body. I glared at him.
"I thought you said just friends? Do we have to go over the ground rules?" I was mad mostly because I liked it.
He leaned close to me. "If you would rather not have this, I will go." He pushed the material at me.
I took it and looked at it. It was a thong. "You"ve got to be kidding me!"
He started to take it back. "If you would rather go without?"
I s.n.a.t.c.hed it back. "NO!"
Pallo laughed and turned. He vanished from the room. I was getting sick of the whole popping in and out routine. I hoped I"d get used to it, doubted it though. Grown men materializing from thin air might be one of those things that one can never actually prepare for.
I put the thong on and walked back into the bathroom to look in the mirror. I saw my reflection and was shocked. I looked like a hooker. I had no bra on, so my nipples were visible beneath the skin tight material. The dress barely covered my b.u.t.t. If I bent over I knew I"d flash anyone around me. My hair was almost as long as the darn thing. Going "G.o.diva" would have covered more than the d.a.m.n dress did. I had to laugh. I had never in a million years thought I"d wear anything like this--maybe for Halloween.
I did my best to adjust myself, and headed out of the room. Pallo was standing in the doorway with Caleb. I stopped and waited for the fireworks to begin.
"I said that I would see to it that you made it home safely," Pallo said, looking at me but gesturing to Caleb.
My gut clenched. I wasn"t ready to be locked in a car with Caleb. I didn"t think I could control myself around him. "Thanks, but no way! I"ve had enough excitement for one night. Besides, I brought my own car," I added, hoping this would free me in some way.