"Hey Magnus," Will said in that tone that meant he wanted something.

"What can I do for you, Will?" She replied cheerfully.

"Harlan called," Will explained simply.

"Ah"

Harlan was a contact of their's. He always had excellent, valuable information, but it always came at a price.

"What does he want this time?"

"He's insisting that he'll only talk to you and it has to be in person. He says you'll want what he's got."

She sighed, not really in the mood to deal with Harlan.

"Thank you, Will. I'll take care of it," Helen told him with a tight smile, rising from her desk chair. "I'm assuming he requested the usual place?"

Will nodded, smiling at her sheepishly. No one liked Harlan, he was a sleazy man with poor manners and wandering hands. She put up with him better than the other's, but she always walked away from their encounters feeling unclean.

"I'll just go change then," she said solemnly.

Twenty minutes later she was ready and on her way to the garage level. Helen tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for the elevator. The sooner she got this over with, the better. She had to stifle a groan as the doors slid open to reveal one Nikola Tesla. His face lit up at the sight of her then quickly fell as he took in her appearance.

"And where are you going in that?" Nikola asked, disapprovingly, as she joined him in the elevator.

Black leather jacket over a deep blue spaghetti strap that accentuated her eyes, lacy black pushup bra that peaked out, dark jeans that clung to her legs like a second skin, and heeled boots complete with accessorizing buckles. Nikola's eyes wracked over her body. Helen had to suppress the urge to squirm under his gaze. She didn't need to explain herself to him. She knew exactly how she looked, she'd done it purposefully. The last time Harlan had asked to meet with her away from the Sanctuary he had given them the tip they needed to catch The Ghost Ship. Hundreds of abnormals had been saved and rescued. So if she had to dress a bit slutty and allow Harlan a few gropes, Helen thought it was well worth it.

"I'm meeting a contact, if you must know," she told him curtly.

"Absolutely not!" Nikola said sternly.

"I don't need your approval," Helen shot over her shoulder as the doors slid open and she stepped out, leaving a furious Nikola behind her.


He shouldn't be here. Helen would be upset if she knew he'd followed her. But what choice did he have? It was her own fault really. She simply hadn't left him a choice. There was no way he was letting her go out dressed like that unsupervised. He'd prefer her not to go out at all in that kind of outfit, but he could at least acknowledge that she must have her reasons.

It was so very different than her usual attire. Helen always looked stunning, but she went more for the professional attire that subtly accentuated her assets. Her current outfit was just blatantly, purposefully arousing. He couldn't deny that he liked it, she did look incredibly hot, he just didn't want anyone else liking it.

Helen parked in a shady part of town, getting out and walking a short distance to a grungy looking apartment building. Nikola hung back, waiting for her to go in before parking his own car and following. It was easy enough to find her scent; the clean, fresh coconut smell of her shampoo stood out in the dank and decrypted atmosphere.

His enhanced hearing picked up her laughter from the landing of the 5th floor. Rounding the corner, Nikola scurried back, Helen stood in the hallway a few doors down. Her back was turned so she hadn't seen him. The man she was talking with might have, if his eyes weren't glued to Helen's chest.

"Enough playing, Harlan," Helen said coyly. "Will said you had something for me? Something good?"

Nikola poked his head around the corner, wanting to see what was going on.

"Yes, yes, something good," the man named Harlan nodded enthusiastically.

"Well?" Helen asked, beginning to play with the buttons on his shirt.

"Not here. Inside."

Nikola most certainly did not want Helen going inside that man's apartment. Helen seemed to agree, at least on not going inside.

"You know the deal, Harlan," Helen cooed, stepping closer to him.

"Someone could overhear," Harlan tried, eyes darting around frantically.

Nikola ducked back behind the wall.

"Whisper it in my ear then," Helen said huskily, making Nikola's skin crawl.

He was not ok with this, not even a little bit. There was a long pause in which he assumed Harlan was doing exactly that. Poking his head around the corner once more, Nikola grudgingly confirmed it. Helen was leaning into him, hand splayed over his chest, while Harlan's face was hidden in her dark curls.

"Oh, Harlan!" She gasped.

Nikola knew it was a fake bedroom voice, considering he'd heard the real one, but it was still close enough to make him growl.

"You like that?" Harlan asked eagerly, believing her act.

"I always like what you give me, Harlan," Helen cooed.

Harlan leered at her, his arm snaking around her waist to pull her closer to his body. The creep even had the nerve to slide his hand lower and cop feel of Helen's ass. She squealed and giggled playfully, but didn't push him away. Nikola had just about had enough of this guy.

"What do you have for me, baby?"

Could he get any cheesier? How was Helen putting up with him? Why hadn't she kicked the shit out of him yet? If she didn't soon, Nikola would and there was a distinct possibility that the man wouldn't walk away after he was done with him.

"Inside jacket pocket," Helen breathed, though Nikola could hear the tension beginning to creep into her voice.

Harlan spun her around, walking them slowly back the two steps until Helen was pinned against the wall. His hand gripped her butt more firmly, fingers digging into the pliant flesh. He was staring at her chest again, but she had her eyes on him. She smiled sweetly at him when Harlan glanced up at her face. With a lecherous grin, the man reached inside her jacket to retrieve what Nikola assumed would be an envelope of cash. By the way Helen bit her lip, Nikola knew Harlan was getting a feel of more than just her ass.

That was the last straw. Something inside of him snapped, his inner vampire coming out full force. No one touched his mate! No one laid a hand on her except for him! She was off limits! He needed to claim what was his!

A ferocious growl ripped from his throat as he hurled himself around the corner and towards the mongrel who was touching his Helen. With his super speed, the man barely had time to register the noise before he was hurtling through the air. He slammed against the opposite wall with a very satisfying thud, dropping to the ground, stunned.

"Nikola!" Helen snapped, shoving him hard in the chest.

"What the fuck man!?" Harlan yelled, picking himself up off the floor.

"Helen is mine!" Nikola snarled, shoving Harlan back against the wall once again.

He was fully vamped out, sharp teeth snapping in Harlan's face and talons cutting into his skin. The man had gone completely white and his eyes were wide with shock.

"I was just-" Harlan tried to explain, but Nikola cut him off with another growl.

"Mine!" Nikola hissed, leaning in so that his teeth snapped menacingly close to Harlan's face.

"F-fine," he stuttered, raising his hands in a sign of surrender.

"If you touch her again, I will hunt you down and rip you to pieces. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes."

"Good. And spread the word, Helen Magnus is taken. Anyone who so much as looks at her will have me to deal with."

"Whatever you say man, just let me go already!"

Nikola snarled at him one last time before releasing him. Harlan scrambled away from him, into the safety of his apartment, slamming his door and throwing the dead blot. Nikola snorted, as if a silly lock would keep him out if he wanted to get in.

"Nikola," Helen said sternly, steel in her voice.

Slowly, he turned his attention on her. He was still fully vamped out and his eyes were smoldering as he met her angry glare. His heightened senses picked up the barely audible gasp and the increase in her heart beat his look induced. He smiled predatorily at her.

He was on her in an instant, shoving her against the wall in a completely different way than Harlan. Helen's hands landed on his shoulders as she let out a much louder gasp.

"Mine!" Nikola growled in her ear, snapping his teeth once again.


Helen shivered, her anger warring with the sudden lust Nikola was causing to coarse through her body. She'd never seen him look at her like that. It was making things low in her belly ache and swirl deliciously.

"You just cost me a very valuable contact," Helen ground out, trying to focus on her anger.

Nikola didn't respond. He pulled back enough to look her in the face and they both glared at each other. Grabbing one of her wrists in a bruising grip, Nikola dragged her out of the building. He was parked a block away, closer than her.

"I have my own car, Nikola," she grumbled when he shoved her towards the passenger side.

"Get. In." Nikola said very slowly, eyes boring into her over the roof of his Audi.

They drove back to the Sanctuary in silence. Nikola was tense, gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were white. His jaw was tight and his feature kept rippling between human and vampire. It was beginning to frighten her. She'd never seen him like this, not in the hundred plus years she'd known him.

Nikola whizzed into a parking spot, the car jerking to a stop as he ripped the keys out of the ignition. He was a blur of motion as he jumped out of the car, slamming the door, and racing to her side. She had just enough time to undo her seat belt before her own door was flung wide and Nikola was hauling her out of the car.

"Nikola!" She cried as the vampire hoisted her over his shoulder.

Her hair whipped in her face as he ran into the Sanctuary at break neck speed. She'd always wondered what it would feel like to be going so fast you blurred to the human eye. She'd seen Nikola do it countless times and had always been curious. Now she just felt her stomach drop as he launched them around corners and through doors. Helen didn't even have enough coordination to keep track of their turns so she could determine where they were going.

They lurched to a halt, Helen just barely catching herself before her face slammed into Nikola's back. She swayed when he placed her on her feet, vertigo hitting her hard. Everything had finally stopped spinning when Helen again found herself shoved against a wall.

Helen looked around, trying to get her bearings. Apparently Nikola had taken the stairs, not wanting to wait on the elevator, because they were directly outside her room. He pushed her up the wall, her feet leaving the ground until she was forced to wrap her legs around his waist for support. As soon as her ankles were locked together behind his back, Nikola pushed her harder into the wall, crushing his body against her's.

Nikola ground his hips against her crotch, letting her feel how hard he was. Helen gasped. She certainly hadn't seen that coming. Desire coiled inside her, but her head spun. Was Nikola mad? Was he horny? What did he want?

His hands slid up her sides to cup her breasts, which seemed to answer the question of what he wanted. But Helen was still mad. She enjoyed angry sex, but Nikola had really pissed her off. Harlan was one of her best contacts, even if he was a little too hands on with his information. Now he would probably never call them again.

It was not ok that Nikola had followed her, threatened her contact, and ranted about her being 'his'. She didn't belong to anyone, least of all him. Helen didn't appreciated being seen as a belonging. She had honestly thought Nikola saw her as an equal, it was one of the things she loved about him and their relationship but apparently she'd been way off.

Nikola crushed his lips against her's. Helen fought it for a moment, trying vainly to push him away, but he was persistent. He nipped at her lips, catching her bottom one between his teeth and pulling. Giving in, she began to kiss him back. It was hard and fierce and angry, but damn it if it wasn't good. Helen let her anger bleed through into the kiss, which only seemed to spur him on more.

Holding her close, Nikola pushed open the door to her bedroom. Helen clung to him as he directed them to the bed. She bounced once when she hit the mattress before Nikola's heavy weight was on top of her. His lips found the healing bite mark on her neck and sucked lightly, making her shudder in pleasure.

That particular spot was a favorite of his. He had bitten her in various other places, but her neck was the most frequent. She'd become so sensitized to it that the lightest touch, even if it was only her fingers grazing the skin as she pushed her hair off her shoulder, caused a wave of arousal to rush through her. Nikola's tongue tracing the individual teeth marks was driving her crazy, making her squirm under him. A deep moan was ripped from her throat when blunt human teeth bit down harshly, fitting perfectly in the grooves his sharper fangs had created.

She felt his teeth elongating, sharpening against her neck. He didn't bite down, just scraped them across her skin. His taloned hands ripped her clothing to peices, leaving her naked and exposed. She wanted to yell at him, berate him for ruining an entire outfit, but didn't get the chance.

Nikola buried his face between her thighs, tongue sweeping over her shamefully wet sex. He hit every one of her favorite spots, not wasting any time. Nikola was a master at oral sex. Helen had never been with a man who could bring her to orgasm so quickly with his tongue. Nikola usually liked to go slow, draw out her pleasure a bit, but tonight he was going fast and hard. She knew he was proving a point; that he alone could do this to her, bring her so much pleasure so quickly, that her body responded to him like no one else she'd been with in her long life.

He had her hips pinned to the bed with his forearm, his enhanced strength keeping her from rocking against his face like her body wanted to. She was completely at the mercy of his wonderful mouth. Helen's hands fisted in the sheets as her head lashed back and forth on the pillows. She choked out half a sob as she came hard, body exploding in the most delicious way possible.

As soon as her orgasm hit, Nikola flipped her onto her stomach, raising her hips in the air. He rammed into her from behind, hot and hard in her still clenching walls. Helen cried out, trying to get her hands under her as he moved inside her.

"You. Are. Mine." Nikola snarled in his deep rumbling vampiric voice, emphasizing each word with a snap of his hips.

Each thrust dragged across her gspot, building a second orgasm quickly. Wet sounds greeted her ears and Helen cursed her body for betraying how much she enjoyed this rougher treatment. She wanted to be angry at Nikola, was angry at him, for ruining everything. He had ruined her chances with her best contact, ruined her clothes, and thoroughly ruined her for other men.

Sharp teeth sunk into her shoulder seconds before she felt Nikola come inside her. Helen shuddered at the exquisite feel of Nikola feeding on her. He licked the wound clean as he slumped on top of her. She had been so close to coming again and she whimpered, letting him know she needed more.

Nikola lifted off her just enough for Helen to turn onto her back before sinking on top of her again. She held him close as he nuzzled against her neck, ferociousness melting into tenderness. Everything about him changed, became softer as she simply held him. Pulling back, Nikola looked down at her lovingly and she smiled indulgently at him.

"Mine," he whispered, peppering kisses across her face.

"I don't belong to anyone, Nikola," Helen tried to protest, her anger quickly returning as she clung stubbornly to the independence she'd fought for all these years.

"You belong to me," Nikola told her simply.

"No, Nikola, I don't," she huffed, pushing him off her.

Grabbing a blanket from the foot of the bed, she wrapped it around herself, concealing her naked body from his view. He pouted briefly, ignoring the glare she was shooting his way.

"I'm extremely angry with you, Nikola! You cost me a very important asset tonight. Harlan supplied us with invaluable information on the abnormal black market."

"He was touching you!" Nikola roared, making Helen jump.

"It wouldn't have gone any farther. I have a deal with him. He gives me information and he gets a few well placed gropes and some flirty banter. It's not a big deal and, frankly, its none of your business, Nikola."

"It most certainly is my business!"

"No, it is not!"

Nikola sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Do you know what this mark means, Helen?" He asked her calmly, pulling her hair away from her neck to reveal the bite mark he'd been toying with earlier.

"That you got carried away while fucking me and lost control." Helen snapped bitterly.

"No," Nikola chuckled.

She glared at him, but he only smiled. Nikola traced the teeth marks with a finger, making Helen shiver despite her anger.

"How much do you know about my ancestors, Helen?"

"Enough," she retorted sharply.

"Well apparently not," Nikola drawled casually, still running his finger over that spot on her neck. "You see, when two vampire's mate, it's for life. They had no use for silly trinkets like wedding rings, instead they would claim their mates by marking them with a bite. When another vampire saw the mark on their neck, they knew that man or woman was taken, off limits. Should the mark be disregarded, it gave the mate the right to kill whomever dared touch their beloved."

"Interesting history lesson," Helen quipped, even though her heart was racing.

"Mated pairs were highly respected among my species. To bite another vampire, mark them as your's, was a serious declaration. It was not taken lightly. The biter and the bitten belonged to each other, for eternity."

"I'm not a vampire, Nikola," Helen tried to reason, more to herself than to him. She didn't like the idea of belonging to anyone.

"You have the blood of my ancestors in your veins." Nikola said seriously. "It is enough to have bonded you to me."

"Just like that? Without my permission or consent?"

"Helen," he murmured, crowding into her personal space. "The bond would not have taken if you didn't feel the same way."

She hadn't wanted to admit just how deeply her feelings for Nikola ran, not even to herself, but apparently her heart had betrayed her just as effectively as her body always did when he touched her.

"How do you know it took?" Helen challenged vainly.

Nikola smiled crookedly at her, making Helen's heart flutter traitorously. His face was inches from her own, leaning in to her causing her to lay back on the bed. He settled over her, toying with the edge of the blanket where it rested over the tops of her breasts.

"Well," Nikola said quietly. "Mated pairs were rarely separated, not being able to stand being away from each other for long."

Helen thought about it, ever since they'd begun sleeping together six months ago there were only a handful of days they'd spent apart. She'd been moody and grumpy during those brief times. The sex when they were finally together again had been desperate and needy.

"Mates were specially connected with each other, often knowing instinctively how their loved one felt or what they needed, even when they themselves didn't."

They had always had a special connection, even back at Oxford. James, with all his powers of observation, was the only one that held a candle to Nikola's ability to read her so well. And wasn't Will always commenting on the fact that she saw something in Nikola that no one else did?

"It was rumored that the sex was better between mated pairs as well," Nikola whispered in her ear.

That she could definitely attest to. Helen had been with alot of people in her 150 plus years, but none of them compared to Nikola. She had always had an active libido, when she had a pattern, but she could barely keep her hands off of him most days. The sex was...well, mind blowing.

"And the bite spot itself was said to have orgasmic qualities." Nikola nipped at her neck for emphasis, making Helen gasp and her hips jump.

"But you don't have a bite mark. Does that mean I belong to you, but you don't belong to me?"

Helen ran her finger over the spot on Nikola's neck that corresponded to her own mark and was surprised when he shuddered.

"Turns out that spot has recently become quite sensitive," Nikola said playfully.

Grinning, Helen sunk her teeth into his neck, making Nikola moan. She could get used to that sort of reaction. Thoughts of manipulating that particular spot already raced through her head.

Nikola pulled the blanket away from her body, seeking out her bare skin. His lips trailed across her collarbone and down her chest. Helen's back arched when he sucked a neglected nipple into his mouth, tongue flicking across the quickly rising bud. A hand slid between her legs, which opened in unspoken invitation. His fingers stroked her gently, tenderly, letting her pleasure build back up gradually.

His thumb brushed over her clit, making Helen whimper. A long finger pushed inside her, curling to stroke her g-spot. The whole time Nikola played with her breasts, switching from one to the other. She had been so close early, it wasn't long before she was on the edge again.

"Not like this. Please, Nikola, I need you," Helen begged.

"Shhh," Nikola soothed, kissing her chastely.

He tried to pull away, but her lips chased his. Threading a hand through his hair, Helen pulled his head back down to kiss her properly. Nikola swallowed her moan as he slid into her slowly this time.

"I'm still mad at you," she mumbled against his lips as he set a slow pace.

"But you're mine."

There was just a hint of a question at the end. He needed her to confirm it, to claim him just as much as he had claimed her. The doubts that had clouded her mind finally fell away, her head accepting what her heart and body already knew. She wasn't happy about the lose of her contact, at least the information that he provided, but she could understand why Nikola had acted the way he had. If their positions had been reversed, she wasn't sure how she would have reacted. Probably in the same way. She didn't ever want to find out though. Nikola was her's, she didn't ever want to see another woman touching him.

"Yes," Helen breathed. "Your's."

Hooking her leg around his hip, Helen flipped them. Her hands splayed flat across his chest, caressing the toned muscles. She tugged lightly at his nipples and Nikola hissed. Helen smiled smugly.

She rotated her hips slightly as she rode him, making them both groan. Biting her lip, Helen picked up the pace. She panted as she rose and fell over him, his thick cock filling her perfectly. A slight shift and he was hitting that one spot inside her that never failed to make her scream.

And scream she did as Nikola sat up and sank his fangs into her neck. He held her as she exploded around him, hips jerking convulsively and body shaking with the force of her orgasm. When she was done, Helen slumped against Nikola's chest.

He stroked her back, kissing the top of her head. Carefully, he laid back, taking her with him. The shift reminding her that he was still hard within her. He hadn't come yet. A wicked grin spread across her face as an idea formed in her mind.

Nikola looked confused as she scrambled off him, disentangling herself from his arms. She winked at him as she positioned herself between his splayed legs and understanding dawned on his features.

Grasping the base of his shaft, Helen licked a hot line up his rigid length. She wanted to tease him, but the lure of tasting herself on him was too much. Quickly, she took him in her mouth. Helen loved to go down on Nikola, liked it even better when he came in her mouth. The taste of him drove her crazy. But her own taste mixed with his from their recent coupling, that made Helen near delirious.

Her eyes rolled back in her head as she massaged the underside of his cock with her tongue. Pre-come leaked out of his head and she pulled back to nibble lightly at the mushroomed tip. She dragged the very tip of her tongue alone his slit, collecting the moisture there and humming in pleasure.

Helen took him as deep as she could, sucking hard. A hand reached up to massage his balls, rolling them in her palm. He bucked under her and she relaxed her throat, signaling that it was ok for him to thrust. His hands tangled in her dark hair, pushing her down as his hips jerked up. Much to every man she'd ever been with's pleasure, Helen had no gag reflex. She let Nikola fuck her mouth, moaning right along with him as he slid deeper down her throat. Very gently, Helen bit down slightly just as she tugged on his balls. Nikola howled and came hotly in her mouth.

Helen slurped greedily, wanting every ounce of come shooting out of him. She didn't release him until he had gone flaccid between her lips. Climbing back up his body, she stared intently down at his dreamy expression.

"Mine!" Helen told him firmly, leaning in to kiss him passionately.