Chapter ONE

Alex's scent of lavender and warmth drifted in Bobby's nose. His left hand cupped a supple breast; his right palm lay against her back, where he could feel the soft downy hair. One of her hands rested on top of his left, and their legs were tangled together. Alex's smooth, strong hips were pressed against Bobby's lower abdomen, and her head rested just beneath his chin. Her soft hair swept across his chest, and Bobby could hear her gentle breaths.

"Am I dreaming?" Bobby thought. "Did I really just make love with Alex? Am I asleep? Awake? Both?"

He pressed his nose gently into Alex's hair; she responded with a purring noise and by curling tighter against him. Bobby felt a warm feeling begin behind his heart and flow through him. Tears formed in his eyes.

"What is this?" he thought. "I've never felt anything like this before…Love? No, it's not scary…it's making me cry, but it's not scary…it's not painful…Music, sometimes…makes me feel close to this…Joy? Is this joy?" He lay quietly, not daring to move. "I'm so …happy…I've never…" Bobby trembled and drifted into deeper sleep.

And then they came.

It was black, blacker than black, darker than dark. Bobby was in and out of his body. He looked down at Alex and himself. Something covered them: he saw only their heads and bare shoulders and their outlines beneath the covering. But he was also still in his body, still holding Alex, still touching, still smelling her. He was aware of them, a group of them moving stealthily but steadily on the edge of his vision. Bobby recognized them, although they had no shape.

"Stay away!" Bobby hissed.

They hesitated, and then crept forward.

"Who's the pretty one?" The shapes didn't speak, but their voices echoed in Bobby's mind. "Why, it's Alex, isn't it?" "He finally got her." "Will she save you, Bobby?"

There seemed to be dozens of them, taunting and torturing Bobby.

"Will she try to save you, Bobby?" "Maybe she's a present for us?"

"Go away!" Bobby tried to swing at the shapes, but his arms were heavy.

"When we take you do we get her too?" They were laughing, and Bobby saw sudden, terrifying flashes of crimson eyes and sharp, red stained teeth.

"No! She's not yours! Leave her alone!" Bobby couldn't move; his voice was failing.

The voice buzzed and hissed in his head. "She's so pretty and innocent." "Was she worth the wait?"

"Please," Bobby whimpered, his courage gone. "Don't hurt her…don't…I'll do anything…please, take me…stop…"

The voices laughed. "He's begging…plead some more, Bobby…not that it will make any difference…we'll get you both…"

A red claw shot out of the black towards Alex.

Bobby shot up in bed. He was gasping, his hands flailing at the air.

"They're not real," he thought. "I'm here, in Alex's bed…this is real. It was a dream, just a dream…"

Bobby shivered and looked down at Alex. She stirred slightly, but seemed to be asleep.

"Thank God," he thought, and he held his head in his hands. After a few moments, he rose carefully from the bed and went into the bathroom. He stared at his reflection in the mirror.

"Just a dream," he thought. "Just the same old dream…a different variation, but it's to be expected…I hoped, just a little, maybe being with Alex would stop it…" He shook his head. "I should tell her…everything…she deserves to know…but she'd leave…they all leave…she knows better though…she already knows most…or at least more…Go back to bed, Goren…they don't usually come back…and waking her up right now would be cruel…what are you going to tell her? By the way, Alex, I have dreams of monsters and they say they're coming after you next?"

Bobby threw water on his face; it was cool and comforting. He padded back to Alex's bedroom. Bobby slipped on his boxers and T-shirt, their soft cotton and silk giving him some small protection. He stood, a fist to his mouth, looking down at Alex. She had turned on her back, and the faint light from the window streaked her. Her hair lay in a small halo around her head. Bobby felt his heart twisted and turned by love, want, need, and fear.

"I will not hurt you," he whispered. "I will fight myself for you, and I will not hurt you."

He slipped into the bed and lay on his side facing Alex. A soft smile crossed her face as she turned towards him and let an arm drape across him.

The warm sunlight woke Alex. She stretched and yawned liked a contented cat. Wincing slightly, she turned on her side and smiled. Her lovemaking with Bobby had left her deliciously sore and comfortable.

"I feel," she thought, "like every cliché in a bad romance novel. Bobby was wonderful…it seemed to mean so much to him…I wonder why…he got up…And where is he now…Did he…" Panic rose in her. "Leave?...No, he wouldn't…couldn't…What's the smell? Coffee?"

A dark, warm scent began to waft in Alex's direction. The bedroom door opened, and Bobby entered bearing the scent's source.

"Madame's coffee," he said cheerfully as he placed the mug on her nightstand. He perched carefully on the end of the bed and sipped from his own cup.

Alex sat up cautiously, trying not to expose too much of her body. She was suddenly shy. "It's not like he hasn't seen everything," she thought as she sipped her coffee.

Alex studied Bobby. He was dressed in his black, silk boxers and white T-shirt and was as relaxed as Alex had ever known him to be. His dark hair was tousled, his stubble highlighting the planes of his face. His chocolate eyes lacked their usual wariness; they were open, calm and direct. Bobby turned to look at her and smiled. Alex's heart stopped, split, came back together, and resumed beating.

"Does Madame like her morning beverage?" he asked playfully.

"Very much," Alex replied.

"Madame could have had breakfast in bed if she kept anything in her apartment." The smile had become a full grin.

Alex sat her coffee on the nightstand and reached for Bobby. "Madame's breakfast is right here," she said and pulled Bobby's face to hers. She kissed him deeply and passionately.

He was over her immediately, kissing and nibbling her neck. "Where did he put his coffee…Oh, God…what's he doing?" Alex thought. "One time, and he already has all the places on my body memorized…" Her body responded to Bobby's touches, and then Alex became aware of another basic need.

"Bobby…please…stop…" she murmured into his neck.

He lifted his head and carefully looked at her. Panic briefly gripped him.

"Alex…am I…did I…last night…"

Alex smiled at him.

"Don't panic, Bobby…I just gotta go to the bathroom."

He sighed in relief, and then laughed.

"Boy," he said shaking his head, "I gotta work on those abandonment issues, don't I?"

Alex laughed as she headed to the bathroom.

"You're beautiful…you know that?" Bobby called after her.

"Well," Alex thought as she checked her face in the mirror, "I don't think I'm that beautiful…" She smiled at her reflection. "But if Bobby can make a joke about his issues…well, I must be doing something right."

He was waiting just outside the bathroom door. He handed her the coffee and stopped her with a touch on her arm. Alex was intoxicated by the intense study of his eyes and tried to hide her shyness by exploring the depths of her cup.

"You are beautiful," Bobby said huskily. "Very beautiful."

She started to pick up her robe, but he stopped her.

"Please," he asked, "if it's not too cold…or too embarrassing…could you…stay…" He lowered his eyes. "Could you…stay naked…for just a little…"

Alex raised her eyes.

"If you get in the same state," she said softly and playfully.

Bobby stripped off his clothes with satisfying speed. For a few moments they rested on the bed; Alex leaning against Bobby, Bobby propped up against the pillows. They finished their coffee, and Bobby leaned over to kiss Alex.

"Where were we?" he whispered.

"You were bringing me breakfast," she whispered back, her hand tracing his jaw.

"Would Madame," he asked before he kissed her neck, "like the continental?" He moved to kiss and nuzzle the soft skin between her breasts. "Or the short order?" He moved up her body again to kiss her on her eyes. "Or the full breakfast?"

"Does that," Alex asked reaching down to take Bobby's cock in her hand, "include sausage?"

Bobby's eyes widened in shock and desire; then, laughing, he rolled on his back taking Alex with him. Smiling, she straddled him, sitting on his lower stomach just above his growing cock. He took her breasts in his hands, and she arched forward. He slipped his hands from her breasts, wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her down to him. They kissed, and Alex slipped her lips from Bobby's mouth to his cheek, across his jaw, and down his neck.

"Let me drive?" she whispered into his throat.

Bobby relaxed his hold on her to answer, and Alex spread kisses and gentle nips across his chest. He moaned in pleasure as she licked and softly bit his nipples. Her hands stroking his chest, Alex sat up, her legs on either side of Bobby. His cock pressed up against her hips, and she pushed against it. Bobby groaned and blinked rapidly. Alex looked down at him and reveled in her power.

"I could do anything to him, right now," she thought. "He trusts me…he loves me…What should I do…take him in my mouth…no…I'm afraid I need something out of this too…"

"Alex," Bobby whispered. "Please…love you so much…please…whatever you want from me…just…oh…"

She leaned forward and kissed him. He started to wrap his arms around her, but Alex caught his hands and pushed them to either side. She rose and slowly descended on Bobby's cock. She brought his hands up to her breasts. He began to thrust upward.

"Bobby, no…wait…" She could barely speak, but he stopped and gazed at her with passion and need.

Alex pushed down on Bobby slowly until she was embedded on him. She stared at him; he was panting, desperate to move but needing to please her. And Alex found she wanted to please him more than she had ever wanted anything.

"Now…" she breathed, and Bobby drove up into her body. He clutched at her breasts as he moved, and Alex tightened her fingers around his. They both cried out at the pain and pleasure.

"Alex…oh…argh..ah…"

"Bobby, Bobby…more…harder…yes…"

Alex collapsed on Bobby's heaving chest. Dazed, she raised her head to look at him. He grinned down at her.

"You're a good driver," he said brushing her hair out of her eyes.

Alex couldn't think of a good reply. "Wow," she said.

"Very wow," Bobby replied.

He wrapped his arms and legs around her, and Alex rested content in the cocoon. After a few moments, she heard a faint rumbling. She looked at Bobby.

"Was that you?" she asked.

He smiled sheepishly. "Uh…yeah…I'm a little hungry, I guess."

Alex untangled her body from Bobby's. "C'mon…I'll buy you breakfast. We can share the shower."

Bobby leaned on one elbow. "I thought I brought you breakfast," he said mischievously.

"Brunch then," Alex said.

"Ok," Bobby said. He paused for a moment.

"Alex," he said shyly, his fingers tracing patterns on her shoulder, "I…I've never been…" He glanced at her. "So happy…thank you."

She hugged him and they held each other.

"C'mon…my stomach will start rumbling too," Alex said.

She was almost at the bathroom door when she turned.

"Hey, did you sleep ok? I thought I heard you get up…"

"Just…had to go to the bathroom…" Bobby said.

"Ok," Alex replied and turned.

She didn't see Bobby rub the back of his head.

End Chapter ONE