This is my own version of what happened the night the door closed behind Mick and Beth. All characters and references are owned by Moonlight, CBS, Warner Brothers and Silver Productions. In no way am I attempting to infringe upon the copyrights--my only intention is entertainment relating to Moonlight!

This story is rated NC-17. No minors should be reading this or any other fanfiction which is written for adults. Please respect this rating.

"Moonlight" built a beautiful love story over 16 episodes, and just as it finally began in earnest, the show was pulled, leaving us fans to our imagination as to how this love story might have ended. This is from my imagination--my Mick and Beth are completely in love and totally committed to each other. I have, in all cases, tried to remain faithful to the Moonlight vampire mythology, which differs from other vampire mythology. My story begins at the last line in "Sonata."

BEHIND THE CLOSED DOOR

CHAPTER ONE - "Because I love you."

I looked into his eyes and saw that it was true—finally the words held inside for so long were out there between us, and it was up to me to accept his love or reject it. I saw hope, anguish, desperation, and such unabashed love on his beautiful face. Just a moment ago, I had assumed I had lost him. Now here he was back again, wearing his heart on his sleeve, waiting to see if I cherished it or trampled it to bits. In his face I saw not only the man I loved and needed, but I saw my future, my home, my soft place to fall. I was so overwhelmed I couldn't even move for a moment; much less say what was in my heart, which was literally screaming "I LOVE YOU TOO!" I'd tell him! But right now I simply felt the need to be in his arms.

Mick watched her as the words hit her--should he have said it? He wondered as she hesitated momentarily, and as she moved toward him, he felt nothing but elation. At last! Beth! As her arms came up around his neck and he bent to kiss her, he felt his world finally righting. All he had ever really wanted was her, and here she was, taking him into her arms! All he could do was thank God and the Universe that she hadn't told him to leave!

My body seemed to move on its own, closing the space between us until I was so close to him that I could see my own eyes in his, each of us reflecting back to the other the depth of emotion behind the words. I reached for him, standing on my toes while pulling his head down to mine, feeling a rush of love, relief and joy as I at last put my lips on his, my eyes closing, finally stepping through the door, leaving behind denial and entering the realm of bliss.

Sweet relief--that's how it felt at first, and then I felt the undeniable 'thing' that had always been between us flooding over us, carrying us along in its wake, causing our kisses to deepen as we hungrily gave and received what we craved. It was a kiss of such sweet surrender--and now that he had said the words, I felt safe melting into him, cherishing him, loving him back.

Oh, God! Kissing him like this--I felt my knees getting weak! I reached around his neck and pulled him even closer, needing the feel of him solidly against me, holding him tightly while our mouths expressed our joy at being here at this place in time; the beginning of "us." Mick returned my kisses, giving back not only the sweetness of the moment, but adding a hint of urgency.

I was so caught up in the emotion of it all, loving the intensity of his kiss! I slipped my left arm inside of his coat, grasping him tightly, holding onto him, my anchor, and OH! how good he felt. The silky shirt in my hand, the body underneath, so hard, so appealing, my friend Mick kissing me like a lover! How often lately had I dreamed of him this way, and now here we were, sharing our hearts, knowing this was how our story was meant to begin!

Our kisses became more fervent, lips touching lips, tongue touching tongue, the passion so long kept at bay now becoming a fire inside of us. Mick reached out behind him and in one swift move, shut the door, closing out the world, closing the door on the months of yearning, longing, frustration and fear. He walked me over to the wall and shifted his weight, pulling my leg up at the knee, making our body contact so intimate that I could feel him hard beneath me, through our clothing, as he pressed himself against me, my back solidly against the wall. I was breathing fast and my heart was racing as blood ran from my head, rushing south to the place where I was aching for him. I felt as if I were on fire in his embrace, and even though he was cool to my touch, my lips burned where he touched them with his own and my skin felt as if it were blistering under his touch.

"Beth!"

"What, Mick?" I gasped. He didn't answer, and I accepted his sweet-tasting tongue gladly, both of us sucking, kissing, wet and fervent, our bodies molded together in a very suggestive pose, and as we rubbed and struggled to feel the closeness, we began to dance the first steps of our private dance.

"Beth—MY Beth!" He breathed against my mouth before picking me up in one smooth motion, carrying me as though I weighed no more than a feather, taking me over to the bed, then stopping, watching my face to see if I wanted this to go further. I looked up at him and he smiled.

"I've been waiting for this for so long, Mick! Tell me I'm not dreaming!"

His eyes blazed into mine and he barely whispered, "You're not dreaming, Beth, I'm here, and I want you--so badly."

I could hardly breathe! I shivered and snuggled into him as he held me there. All that mattered to me was that I was in his arms again, safe as when I had been a child, but thank the Lord, I was a child no longer! As he had walked to my bedroom, cradling me against him, I took the liberty of kissing him on his jaw then under it, rubbing my cheek on the stubble I felt there, and I heard him groan softly. I nuzzled and kissed him lightly on his neck, and down to the little dent where his neck met his chest, a place I'd looked at so many times over the past year, a spot that always made me catch my breath with wanting to do just this--kiss him right there!

I was heady with the scent of him—masculine, all Mick, mixed with a slightly smoky smell and the distant aroma of single malt Scotch. He smelled so good that the thought of biting him ran fleetingly through my head! I yearned for more of the taste of him on my tongue! Maybe that was, in small measure, how it felt to be a vampire! The wanting of another, so strongly that to taste was the only way to satiety! I wondered if this desire was, in some small way, what it was like for Mick to be with me now--did he want to bite and taste me?

"Oh, Mick, you smell so good I could just eat you!" I turned bright red as soon as the words were out of my mouth. He just laughed softly.

"The feeling is mutual, my dear!" he said rather lecherously--I was glad he couldn't see me blushing!

I did want him, and I wanted him very badly, I realized. I felt my stomach lurch, and the butterflies really began to tickle my insides! Would this end the way I hoped? Or would Mick be too proper to do this on an impulse without discussing every aspect of the do's and don'ts of vampire love! A second later I felt myself sinking into the thick goose down comforter as he laid me down gently on my bed. Although the room was fairly dark, I could see him clearly, and watched as he slid his arms out of his coat, tossing it onto a nearby chair, then as he practically dove down into the folds of the comforter, facing me, his hand brushing my hair back behind one ear. He sighed and I saw the raw need in his eyes, felt a stab of longing and felt my stomach begin to quiver and quake to the point of shaking strongly enough that I was afraid he would feel it. I should have known he would feel it—he was so sensitive to everything, being that his vampire sensibilities were so highly tuned.

"Sweetheart! Beth! You're shaking! Don't. . .don't be afraid!"

His voice was low and filled with passion. Omigod how I loved his voice! "I want you, Beth--I don't think I've ever wanted a woman more, but his will only happen if you want it to. . ." His eyes bored through me, as though seeing straight into my soul. There was a slight husky quality to his voice that made me melt down even more, and my stomach twitching with the accompanying flutter got even stronger, as I felt a warm spurt of desire down below. I kissed him softly.

"I'm actually aching for you, Mick," I sighed. As I looked at his face, I felt tears suddenly spring to my eyes. How could I have denied myself the love of this man for so long?

I'd been fooling myself by trying to keep it going with Josh; I had to admit now that as soon as I had met Mick, that relationship was essentially over. Now I looked at Mick watching me—my beautiful friend, my BEST friend--whose eyes gazed into me, asking to be more than friends, asking to be my lover, not sure I'd say yes. It was all there in his eyes, and right then I realized I really, truly had never wanted anything more, and that this was the pivotal moment in my life when everything would change. I wanted him desperately in a physical way, but in my heart I knew I loved him more than life, this man this strong, virile vampire, this amazing friend who knew me better than I knew myself, who smiled at me now, a sweet smile that told me he would accept whatever I told him and he would love me no matter what happened. My emotions overwhelmed me.

"Mick. . ." it was all I could say before the tears spilled over, down my cheeks.

"Ohhh, there, now, honey. It's okay Beth—it's just me! He dabbed at my tears with his finger, such a look of understanding and indulgence on his face, knowing me well enough to "get" my tears and not be afraid of a woman crying, and in his eyes, all of the love I had ever craved. I looked at his lips as he spoke again, thinking of how soft they were, how well they fit with my own. I sniffed and smiled tentatively.

"Sorry for the tears." I saw that he wondered if I was too afraid to move on to the next level of our already wonderful relationship.

"You have no need to be scared, Beth; no need to cry--you know I'll take care of you." He was so gentle as he wiped another tear from my cheek with the back of his first finger, the one with the ring, catching a new tear rolling down the other cheek and putting his finger in his mouth. "Mmmm. I love your taste too, Beth, I love everything about you, but I don't want you to be afraid of this--we won't do anything you don't want to do here."

"But. . .I do! I mean, I do want to!" I blurted out, pulling him over to me, pressing myself so close to him that there was no space between us, kissing his neck, the little dent in his chin, his mouth. I heard him groan. He rolled onto his back bringing me with him so I lay on top of his solid body, finally able to feel the glorious full length of his tall frame as I lay on top of him, his contours pressing enticingly against me, my toes coming only to the middle of his calves. This position, however, only served to make the aching need inside of me even more pronounced. I gave in to my baser wants and rubbed myself against him, yearning and unashamed.

He groaned and kissed me deeply.

"OHHHH!" I moaned softly. "Oh, Mick, you feel so good against me!" He pulled my face to his yet again, his kisses deep and soft, wet and intoxicating. This was definitely sensory overload! I was growing lightheaded again from the scent of him, the taste of him on my tongue, the feel of his body beneath me, knowing he loved me and wanted me as much as I wanted him.

He groaned as I kissed him back and took control, sucking hard on his intruding tongue, pushing back with my own, letting him show me with his mouth what he wanted to do with my body. I shivered with anticipation.

"Beth!" he breathed my name into my mouth as his hand gently caressed my breasts through my top. Even with clothing between his skin and mine, I almost couldn't breathe from the close contact, and having him touch me sent currents through me that went all the way down to my toes. My breasts pressed against his chest, and other parts of my body were on high alert, touching him like this. I wanted more, so much more, but I was, for now, loving every second of his large hand rubbing my back, up my neck, into my hair. I sighed and reveled in the sensations going through me.

In one swift move, he reached down and grasped my top, pulling it off over my head before he deftly unhooked my bra, tossing the lacy fabric onto the floor. He hooked me under my arms and pulled me up across his body, then took one breast into his mouth. I drew in a short breath and threw my head back as the waves of pleasure hit me, and I cried out softly. He suckled and lightly kneaded first one breast and then the other until my nipples were hard and swollen, wet from his mouth.

"Ohmigod, Beth! You're so beautiful!"

He then rolled me onto my back and got on top of me, rocking against me, the denim of his jeans stretched tight against his arousal, which pressed into me so intimately that I moaned from the pleasure of feeling him right in the exact spot where I ached so badly for him. I answered his thrusting by rocking my hips so that we were imitating the ancient rhythm we both craved. He moved his lips over my skin, feathering kisses up my stomach, over my breasts, my shoulders, my neck and chin, then my ear. I felt his tongue go inside of my ear, then I shivered as he blew his cool breath onto my wet skin. As I was still shivering, he moved over to lick and then suck on my lower lip. His breathing was ragged, and I was sure he could hear my heart racing. He pulled away so he could speak:

"Beth--how far do you want this to go?" He panted. "It's not going to be very long before I won't be able to stop." His tongue licked his lower lip, as though savoring my taste, which was highly erotic to me and caused me even more tingling sensations.

"Then don't, Mick—don't stop! Haven't we waited for each other long enough?" I grabbed the front of his shirt to pull him once again to my lips. Now we were practically devouring one another, unable able to get enough, unable to kiss deeply enough, touch closely enough to satisfy the overwhelming urge to join. I was so aroused myself that I wondered how long I could last! Not long! Not with Mick!

I began unbuttoning the top button on his shirt, but he stopped me and simply reached out behind him and pulled it off over his head, having to quickly undo the buttons on the cuffs, then tossing it to the floor. With both of us naked to the waist now, I could feel the hairs on his chest tickling my breasts, and my body began to take over for my brain, rocking and rubbing frantically against him. He answered in kind, kissing my mouth as he pushed himself hard against me. I wrapped my legs around him trying to get closer, wanting, needing, throbbing in the places where he touched me. I had never felt desire so strong--I needed this man as much as I needed air and water!

"Mick," I said, voice husky; "I need you inside of me." I looked him straight in the eyes, seeing the desire in him as strong as the need in me. Then once again, I felt the stupid, embarrassing tears welling up. He saw my eyes shining in the light from the street. He stopped the rocking motion and put his arms around me, holding me tightly against him as he rolled us together onto our sides. He held me firmly as I breathed in the sweet scent of his skin.

"I know, Beth. It's okay. It's taken so much effort to get here. I know why you're crying and I love you all the more for it." He held me until the tears stopped, then kissed my eyelids, kissed away my tears. "I know we've been friends for a long time, and honey, this will only enhance that. Please trust me. Can you trust me?"

"Oh, Mick," I said softly. "Of course I trust you! I've never trusted anyone more! You've saved me over and over, and here you are, saving me again because I thought I'd just die without you. When you walked out that door, Oh, God! Mick! I thought I'd lost you forever, but you came back to me, and I LOVE you, Mick. I'll love you for as long as I live."

He sighed and touched my cheek a little smile gracing his beautiful mouth. "There they are. The words I've been dying to hear from you! Do you honestly love me Beth? Don't say the words unless you mean them because you will kill me!"

"I mean them, oh Mick, I love you! I do! My God! I LOVE you so much!"

"That works for me," he sighed before kissing me hard, then pushing off of the bed. I heard his feet softly hit the floor, then watched as he bent down and I felt his fingers slide inside the waistband of my jeans. He slowly unzipped me, looking me in the eyes, as if waiting for me to stop him, but that I couldn't do. He slowly pulled my jeans down, over my belly, his eyes still locked on my eyes, then he pulled them down over my hips as I lifted myself up, allowing him to keep going. When he got to the point of pulling them down my legs and off, his eyes finally left mine to look at what he was doing. I heard him toss them onto the floor, my socks followed in a second, sailing through the air before landing somewhere!. He stopped then, and I watched as his eyes raked hungrily over my body. Even in the dark, I could see the desire in them shining, glazed over as he reached a hand out to remove the one last small scrap of lace still covering me. He exhaled audibly as he reached for my flimsy little panties. In one very fast move, he had them off, sending them sailing through the air to the floor, where they would join the rest of our scattered clothing. I silently thanked the Universe that I hadn't chosen this day to wear the big, cotton panties my aunt always insisted on giving me every Christmas!

I now lay naked before him, and I felt the trembling begin again, but noticed that he seemed to have stopped breathing! With my stomach doing its flutter-twitch again, I put my hands over my belly to try to stop it. His eyes took in my nude body from my head to my feet, and even though I knew he had seen me naked before, that was when I was tripped out on Black Crystal, not lying on my bed waiting for him to make love to me! I felt very vulnerable and terribly aroused. I saw that his eyes were smoldering with passion, and felt giddy with love and lust. I could see clearly that he wanted me-- that was obvious. But I wanted him back just as badly.

"I need you, Mick! See? I'm shaking from wanting you! I've never felt like this before! Maybe it's that I've never truly loved anyone else before you." I was puzzled by the trembling, which was spreading throughout my entire body.

"Do you think that's true? Beth! Is that true?" He wanted it to be so. I heard it in his voice.

"It must be, Mick. Look at me shaking! I feel like some virginal teen-ager! Silly, right?" I tried to smile, but it was a lame attempt. The tears came back once again and choked me and I had to catch my breath. Mick stood at watched me, such a tender look on his face.

He leaned over me on the bed, an arm on each side of me, his face directly above mine. "No, not silly at all Beth," he said in that low, sexy voice I loved to hear. "I want to be your first—the first man to truly make love to you. You must know that I've loved you for a very long time--maybe you're shaking in anticipation because I intend to love you very thoroughly! I'm sure you've never had anyone like me before because no other man could possibly love you more than I do."

A scary thought went through my head. What was it about never sleeping with your best friend because if it all went wrong, you'd lose your friend! Mick must have seen fear in my eyes.

"What's wrong, Beth?"

"I'm just being afraid of losing you because we've been friends for a long time, and Mick, I can't lose you as a friend! What if this doesn't work? What if the sex is no good?"

He looked at me sideways with a look that said, 'not possible.'

"Do you want this to work? Beth--do you want ME?"

"I've never wanted anything more!"

"Then we'll be great." He kissed me and rose off of the bed again. He looked down at his own hands and said, "Look! I'm shaking too!" He held his hands out in front of him and they were trembling slightly. "I want you to know—you are more than just an 'intense affair!' You're all I've ever wanted." He stopped, then took an audible breath. I felt he was getting control of his emotions. I wanted to go touch him, but waited.

"You see, I'm offering my whole self to you—all that I am, and I hope you're doing the same for me. This is a big deal, Beth! I don't just want your body, I want YOU!"

I smiled up at him and he smiled down at me. We both knew he was right. Our world was about to tilt on its axis. He looked me over again slowly, stopping and catching his breath when he got to the place where my blond curls hid my secrets. I heard him slide out of his boots, and he bent, probably to remove his socks. The only clothing between us now was one pair of jeans and his belt, which he was now unbuckling.

"I don't mean to keep repeating myself, but honestly, Beth, you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen!" he said, his hand slowly reaching down, unzipping his jeans, then pushing them down, letting them fall to the floor, stepping out of them and standing naked before me, his legs spread just slightly, his arms out as if asking me 'what do you think?'

I felt my breath catch hard in my throat. He was as perfectly formed as a man could be—a model for the perfect Adam—broad at the shoulders, muscular arms, his taught stomach tapering to his waist, the slight curve of his hips, the thick, dark burst of pubic hair surrounding a very large, very obvious erection; his legs beautifully muscular, his feet beyond where I could see from my place on the bed, but I knew they were long and strong, and as beautiful as the rest of his body. The angels must have wept to see this particular act of creation!

"You're absolutely stunning, Mick," I said breathlessly. "I love the way you look--you look like a dark angel." He smiled shyly. "I should say, a dark avenging angel with sword drawn, ready to strike!"

His head bent back as he laughed. "I guess we make a pair, then, Beth--you look like the angel of light." Then he got serious again. "Are you afraid? Beth?" he asked nervously. "Am I too big for you?"

He seemed genuinely concerned, and I let the air out of my lungs forcefully. I held my arms open and he quickly dove on top of me, burying his face in my hair, smelling me, tasting me, kissing me, loving me with his hands and his mouth. He licked my tears with the tip of his tongue. "You're crying again, Sweetheart--are you okay? Are you sure you're not afraid? Tell me you're okay!"

I laughed through my tears to see him look so stricken. "I'm wonderful," I choked out, clutching his arm. "I don't know why I keep crying! It's so embarrassing!"

"Oh, no, no Beth! Don't be embarrassed! Those tears are for me—you want me as much as I want you. This is a life-changing moment for both of us. Beth, honey, I want you to know that I haven't done this all that much, considering how old I am! I guess you need to know that is much more than sex to me--I'm in love with you—only you, Beth, and you might think this is bad timing, but I have to say this. . ." he stopped and looked at me as though he were afraid to continue.

I waited, wondering what was so important that he had to say it now. I was acutely aware of where exactly our bodies were touching, and I felt myself growing ever more damp with desire as the minutes ticked by. "What is it, Mick?" I asked softly as I lightly touched his face with my hand.

"Well," he began, "you know I'm kind of 'old school' as far as how I think and act sometimes. I guess this is one of those times, so bear with me. I hope this won't make you mad." He looked at me, then looked down. I began to worry. What was he talking about?

"Say it, Mick. You can say anything to me. Remember? We're best friends who fell in love. Don't ever be afraid to tell me anything, okay?"

"I do love you--so much," he said huskily, and I noticed that his eyes were shining a little too brightly to be passed off as mere passion. He looked up, sniffed, cleared his throat, and took control of his raw emotions. Then he said something very softly in his sweet, low voice, "I want to marry you Beth. I want to be with you for as long as we have together."

I felt my heart pounding in my chest. Oh, God! I felt as though I was melting. Was this possible? How could he be sure? I felt like I needed air. I felt Mick tense up against me.

"What, Beth! Are you all right? Your heart—it's beating so fast! Am I a fool for saying that? I'm sorry, honey—forget I said it. I'm just—I'm so. . ."

"Why, Mick? Why do you want to marry me? I'm human! I'll get old! I'll die! And besides—we still don't know if the sex will be any good!" That made him grin. I could tell, he wasn't at all worried!

"I don't care, Beth. I want to be your husband. I want to live with you, I want to be the one you come to when you're happy or sad—I want to be your lover and still be your best friend. I want all of that, but if you want time to think. . ."

I looked at the sincerity in his eyes. Once again, he was just putting his heart out there for me to trample on. Oh, God I loved this man!

"No, Mick—I don't need time. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I can't imagine my life without you. I accept. I'll marry you. I LOVE you! God help me, but I love you so much!"

He wrapped his arms tightly around me and took a deep, choking breath against my neck. I thought he might cry, but he got a hold of himself.

"Oh, thank God, Beth. Thank God. Now I'm going to do what any good husband should do—I'm going to make love to you all night long, and I will try very hard not to hurt you." I felt his hand sliding down over my shivery stomach, shivering all the more from his touch. I gasped with pleasure when I felt his hand cupping me, finding me wet and ready, dipping one finger inside of me, which caused me rock and groan with need and desire, rising up, pressing myself fully into his large, capable hand.

"Please, don't be careful!," I managed to say through gasps of wonder at his touch. "Don't worry about hurting me! Hurt me, Mick! Please! I don't care! I need you so much--I feel so empty and I need you to fill me! I'm aching for you, that's how much I need you! Oh, please!" I was begging for mercy, and I had absolutely no shame at this point.

He smiled with his eyes as his hands stayed busy. "Here? Is this where you ache, my love?" he said as a second finger slid into me. I pushed myself hard against his hand and started breathing in choppy little breaths.

"Yes, oh, yes, Mick—I need you there! I need you now!" I closed my eyes, letting the sensations flood through me. I still couldn't believe I was on my bed, naked, with the man I loved more than life, and he was doing these things to me as if he knew exactly where to touch me. "AH!" I nearly shouted. "Oh, don't stop, Mick. OH!. . ." I tried to catch myself so I wouldn't just make him deaf. I tried to breathe in and out, evenly.

"Right where I want you," he said under his breath, half chuckling. "You're so hot and wet and you're begging for me—I guess I need to take care of you."

"You do! Please Mick!" I felt desperate and needy. I did need him to take care of me--and soon. I felt him gently spread my legs apart, exposing me completely to him. I shivered and closed my eyes again, waiting, hoping he would hurry. Suddenly my body bucked up off of the bed--it was as if an electric current had hit me, and his tongue was on me, pressing hard right at my most tender spot, right where I needed it to be. I sucked in my breath as his fingers began moving back and forth inside of me, his tongue flicking and then pressing down on my swollen, needy flesh. It took all of two seconds before I felt myself begin to fall over the edge of want into the bliss, and as I moaned and writhed against his hand and his relentless tongue, tickling and pressing, I thought I might die from the sheer delight that spread like warm fingers all through me.

I let the intensity of the orgasm take me in waves as he finished me off with a hard press of his tongue. In a moment, I felt him moving up my body, kissing my belly, up, up, kissing my breasts once more, and before I had even stopped moaning from the first wave, I felt him push himself inside of me, inch by lovely inch, filling me with his hard flesh until he was all the way inside of me and I had him completely surrounded. Then he stopped. He stopped! I opened my eyes in surprise.

"Is that okay, sweetheart?" he whispered. "Am I hurting you at all?"

I answered him quickly by pushing my hips at him, which took him by surprise, but in a second he was into the rhythm, thrusting in and out of me, both of us murmuring, breathing hard, kissing through ragged breaths. I met him thrust for thrust, and felt the tension build again as he pushed so hard inside of me that I could literally feel him bumping against my insides! It felt wonderful! I'd never felt like this before! "AHHHHHHH!" I caught myself again. "Ah, ah, ah, uh!"

"There you go, sweetheart--just let go. . ." he said gently.

I clutched his upper arms to keep from being pushed over the side of the bed, since we were lying on it crossways, and then with one of his thrusts, I felt him twist in a slight half-turn inside of me, and suddenly I was over the edge again. I didn't even recognize the sound coming from inside of me, from a place so deep down that I couldn't have stopped it if I'd tried! It was the next thing to a primal scream.

"OHHHHHHHH! Ahhhhh! OmiGOD! Mick! Oh, MICK!"

"Oh, I love hearing you, I love that I can make you come--let yourself go, Beth, it's just you and me here, honey, so don't hold anything back. . ."

I clutched his arms even harder as I moaned under him, reveling in the sensory delight. He kept on pushing inside of me, and I thought the pleasure might never stop! I had enough sensibility to recognize that I had never EVER been with a lover who could make me feel like this, and I fell all the more in love with this man who was showing me what truly loving someone was like!

"Omigod!" I screamed, as I gave up trying to be quiet. My moans were strong and loud enough to wake the neighbors, but I could care less. I was flying and I felt as if I may never land! I became aware of Mick, even though I was still spasming around him, still swamped by sheer pleasure, but I felt him tensing up. I heard him take in a huge breath, as he drew back, then heard him let out a low groan that grew in intensity as he lost himself in me, his thrusts becoming even stronger, and I held onto his arms tightly as I watched his own orgasm overtake him. He looked so breathtakingly beautiful, his head thrown back, and his groans so deep and so ragged they could well have been coming from a--well--a vampire! Watching him like this made me feel so overwhelmed by the intensity of what I was feeling physically and emotionally, that once again, I was falling into the chasm of endless delight, joining with him, our cries blending together as our bodies gave and took, and as he pummeled my flesh with his own, our voices blended in the most primitive of harmonies.

I was so caught up in my own pleasure that I was paying no attention at all to whether he was going go "vamp" on me—I couldn't open my eyes—I couldn't move, I was paralyzed for several seconds by the sheer, intense pleasure, feeling as though I was nailed to the mattress, and I allowed the last of the crested waves to simply roll through me. I felt completely limp, yet tingly and still so, very hot.

Still trying to catch my breath, I gazed up at my lover and saw his beautiful face hovering right over mine, his vampire-glazed eyes looking right through me, his mouth open, fangs showing, lost in his own world of completion, moaning, still thrusting powerfully, so beautiful I couldn't take my eyes from his face as he took his pleasure in me.

Without warning, he bent his head and I felt his sharp teeth prick my upper arm. It didn't hurt; in fact, much to my surprise, pleasure shot through me, and I began to come again, but this time was different; this one hit me so hard, it literally crashed through me with such intensity that I couldn't breathe, couldn't make a sound, and as he bit me, he kept thrusting, rock-hard, back and forth, a battering, satisfying rhythm of completion. I took in a huge gulp of air, and cried out, and as I was all but overcome by my own pleasure, he took his own once again, and our moans and groans became once again our own unique music sung to the gods of ecstasy.

When at last it was over, he licked my arm several times, sending shivers up and down my body, then he collapsed on top of me, his weight pinning me to the soft bed. He was still inside of me, and I wrapped my legs as far around his waist as I could, squeezing him, holding him close, cradling his head with my hands as it lay on my chest, loving the feel of him breathing in and out, feeling as though I had just touched heaven. We stayed that way for several minutes, coming down from the mountain we had climbed together, enjoying the slow slide from the peak to the stillness and peace of solid ground that comes from loving someone so completely. I thought how different this was from anything I had ever felt before. I knew that somehow the lines which separated me from him had blurred during our lovemaking, and I felt forever changed, forever bonded, forever part of HIM.

I kissed the top of his head. "I love you," I whispered into his hair.

"I adore you," he whispered back, spent and happy. We were quiet a minute longer, then he pulled out and rolled over onto his back, lying spread-eagled. I lay sprawled out next to him. He groaned once more, then turned his head to face me, and we simply watched each other as our breathing slowed down to a more normal rate. He had an unreadable look on his face; I wondered what he was thinking.

"I don't know what just happened here, Beth, but that is not like anything I've experienced before."

"What? What do you mean?" I felt myself blush slightly as I said, "I noticed—you came twice—is that unusual?"

He let out a short laugh. "I guess it's not unheard of—maybe unusual for men who aren't making love to their fantasy woman! That's not what I'm talking about, though." He blew out a long breath.

My curiosity piqued, I rose up onto one elbow, looking at him, my strong, handsome lover lying beside me, naked and so abjectly gorgeous! He was still awfully large, I thought to myself, even now in this post-coital state of bliss. I smiled and wondered how this miracle had come into my life just when I thought maybe it was all over! How amazing life was!

"So—what DO you mean, Mick?"

"I don't know, Beth. It felt like I. . .this sounds crazy, but I felt like I ejaculated. I know that's impossible, but. . .can you tell? Am I imagining it? I haven't come like that—so strongly, ever—in my life!" He stopped, caught a breath and blew it out hard. He looked at me with a funny grin. "Oh, and by the way, Beth, the sex? It wasn't bad at all." He gave me that half-smile as he looked at me with that sideways look he had that made my stomach quiver again. I smiled back.

"Yeah, it was--all right, Mick." My grin told him otherwise. The sex had been earth-shattering and we both knew it!

I punched him lightly in the arm, then put my fingers down where he had just taken his leave of me. I was wet, of course, very wet, in fact, but I had been extremely aroused before we even had our clothes off--still-- I sniffed my fingers. I looked at him and he at me.

"You came, my dear, and you left something behind. It smells like semen to me!"

His one eyebrow went up. He rolled over and sniffed my fingers, which I held out to him.

"Oh, man! That is not possible! Beth, I swear—this is not even within the realm of possibilities for a vampire!"

"I thought you said that vampires didn't. . ."

"We DON'T! Beth! We can't! This is impossible!" He blew out a breath and turned his face away from me.

"Well, maybe it isn't semen, but. . ."

"It's semen. I haven't smelled that smell after sex for over thirty years, but that's it. It's completely impossible, but that is it." He said this definitively. My vampire mobile lab.

"Well, if it's so impossible, how did it happen?"

"I DON'T KNOW! My gosh, Beth! I didn't want to put you in this position!"

"What position is that, Mick?" I reached over and took his hand in mine, intertwining our fingers. "I think we've been in about sixteen different positions in the past twenty minutes, and all of them were good—what could be wrong?"

"You're mid-cycle, right? I can smell that much. Your hormones have shifted. I can tell—you're probably ovulating."

"My God, Mick! How do you know THAT!?" My eyes were wide open now.

He turned to me, a sick, sad look on his face. "I've been your friend now for—what—going on a year? And I'm a vampire—I smell estrogen, I smell progesterone. I know you, and you are mid-cycle. You could get pregnant if that, he nodded at my fingers, is what it seems to be." He stared at my hand with a pained expression on his face.

I squeezed his hand. "Then please explain just how--that could be what it seems to be if vampires can't have kids?"

His eyes searched mine. "It must have happened when I was human. I mean, how else could it happen? How long ago was that?"

"It was a while ago, Mick. I wouldn't worry about it."

"Well, sperm aren't mature right away—it might be long enough since—since I was human—and now—I didn't even think about this! I feel terrible! I didn't mean for this to happen, you have to know that, Beth! I'd never just. . .do this, knowing THAT might happen! At least--not without ASKING you first!"

He looked so upset. What was so bad about it, I wondered? I laid my head on his chest, running my fingers through the fine hair, playing with it.

"Mick, honey, there's no problem here. If it happens, it happens. In fact, I hope it does!"

He rolled me off of him and put his face very close to mine. I could feel his breath on my face, cool and soothing. "You aren't upset? What if you get pregnant? I'm so sorry! I never meant to. . ."

"Mick!" I said softly but firmly. I ran my fingers across his cheek. "This is what you want—a family! If this happens, and that is a big IF, it's not a mistake! It's a miracle!" I smiled at him and I saw the worry leave his face. "Of course, we WILL have some explaining to do to Josef, who won't understand how we 're-wrote the rules of vampire love!'"

Mick laughed and shook his head. "Yeah, that would completely blow his mind, wouldn't it?" He looked into my eyes. I felt myself melting into that gaze.

"Do you mean it, Beth? Do you really mean that--you'd want to have my baby?" He looked so excited.

"Oh, Mick! Are you kidding me? Of course I want your baby! I probably want it as much as you do! What we just did—what I did--I just loved you with my body, but also with all of my heart and soul. Honey, if our loving made a baby, I think it's an amazing, wonderful thing!" I leaned over and kissed him soundly on the lips. Before the kiss was over, I felt his mouth turn up into a smile. I pulled back to gaze into his eyes, smiling back at him.

"You look like a proud daddy already! But we have to wait! It's too soon to assume! Maybe this will work—I hope it does, but Mick, just don't get your hopes up!"

But his smile was ear-to-ear, and I had a feeling he knew something I didn't. Maybe he could smell the event happening inside of me—I didn't know—I didn't care. We'd be together for at least a lifetime, maybe longer—who knew? And if "Elliot" was part of us, that made everything all the sweeter!

We kissed again, long, slow, wet kisses, feeling the heat building up again to fever pitch. Well, if what we'd just done wasn't enough to start a baby, maybe all night long would do it! I pulled him to me and felt our passion once again begin to blaze.