"Hannibal Lecter, did your mother feed you at her breast?"

This sudden question surprised Hannibal.

"Yes"

"Did you ever feel that you had to relinquish the breast to Mischa? Did you ever feel you were required to give it up for her?"

With a slightly pause of thought, he replied, "I don't recall that, Clarice. If I gave it up, I did it gladly"

Clarice Starling reached her cupped hand into the deep neckline of her gown and freed her breast, quickly peaky in the open air. "You don't have to give up this one," she said.

Looking always into hey eyes, with her trigger finger she took warm Château d'Yquem from her mouth and a think sweet drop suspended from her nipple like a golden cabochon and trembled with her breathing.

Unable to contain himself, Hannibal came swiftly from his chair to her, went on a knee before her chair, and bent to her coral and cream in the firelight his dark sleek head.

Slowly, the tip of his tongue brushed her nipple and the sweet drop slide down his throat. Hannibal didn't stop there. Closing his mouth, he held her nipple between his front teeth as he continued to lick it, it hardening with every touch.

A small noise of pleasure escaped from Clarice's lips as Hannibal lifted his mouth to her, seeking her soft lips, which had plagued his thoughts for so many years.

Leaning in closer to Clarice, Hannibal slide the skirt of her gown up her legs, allowing him to get closer to her body. With Clarice at the edge of her seat, they were positioned so that the protrusion from his trousers was touching the wet fabric of her underwear.

Clarice's hands, which had been holding on to his shoulders, moved down to the fly of his suit pants. Hannibal's hand stopped her before she got half way, which made her look up into his maroon eyes with an expression of desire.

"Not here, my love. Some place more comfortable."

Quickly standing, Hannibal placed his arm underneath Clarice's leg and then lifted her out of the chair. Carefully stepping around the broken china, he made his way to the room that she had woken in.

He placed her on the bed before returning to kiss her, letting his hands slide over her body. Clarice's hands reached up and busied themselves with his white tie and shirt, which he hastily discarded of when she undid the last button. Her hands then returned to the task of his trousers, and in seconds she had them fall down his legs, which he stepped out of leaving them in a pile with the rest of his clothing.

Hannibal then moved his attention to Clarice's clothing after he carefully took off her jewellery. Grazing his hands along the skin of her leg, he lifted her silk gown to reveal her pale, smooth skin. His hands found the clasps for her bra, which, once undone, allowed him to take her nipple once again into his mouth. As his hands went to remove the last barrier between them, Clarice made a murmur of content, which caused him to chuckle.

Once Clarice's underwear was on the floor behind him, Hannibal gently pushed Clarice on to her back so that he could position himself above her.

"Are you ready, my love?" he asked looking down into her eyes.

With a shudder, Clarice whispered, "Yes".

Carefully positioning himself so that he was in just the right place, Hannibal slowly pushed himself into Clarice.

Allowing a moment for them both to adjust to this, he slowly began to move back and forth. They both made noises of pleasure as they built up their speed and intensity, until Hannibal had to stop having reached his peak.

He withdrew slowly, both of their bodies shaking with pleasure as he lay down on top of her. With his right hand, he reached out and touched her facing, brushing the stray hairs out from her eyes so that he may gaze into them. They stayed this way for a few minutes, just staring into one another's eyes before Hannibal leant down to gently kiss her lips.

Gently rolling off her, Hannibal slide his arm behind her head so that she could lean against his chest.

"Time to sleep, my love", he whispered as he kissed the top of her head.

And this was how they spent their first night together, asleep in one another's arms.