Disclaimer: see previous

Note: I decided to post the first two chapters today to get to the plot faster. Don't expect this to be a regular thing. I'll try not to take too long between posts but with my life who knows what'll happen.

~~~~~SVU~~~~~

"I was gonna tell you after dinner," Casey spoke once she and Liv were sitting on her couch.

When Casey didn't say more, Liv questioned, "Tell me what exactly? I mean, I think I get the you-being-a-werewolf thing."

"Technically I'm not a werewolf."

"Alright. Then what are you?"

Casey took a deep breath before explaining, "We're called Therianthropes- Therians or Shifters for short. We're an ancient humanoid race of immortal shapeshifters. I come from the Wolf Shifter bloodline."

Olivia's eyebrows lifted, "You're immortal?"

Casey nodded, "Yes. My race is stronger, faster, and sturdier than yours. Though we can be injured, we heal quite fast. Even if we lose a limb, we won't die; we'll just grow it back. That takes a few hours and hurts like Hell though."

Liv's mind was already racing to absorb everything Casey told her, "So then how do you die?"

"Well we can die from old age. Though that could take several centuries if not millennia, and we don't physically age; it has something to do with the animal spirit eventually needing to be free and our hearts will just give out in order to release it. But the only ways to kill us would be burning, beheading, or ripping out our hearts."

They both grimaced at the thought. "Disease?"

"Doesn't affect us."

"How old are you?"

Casey thought for a second. Therians didn't care to celebrate birthdays since they could have hundreds or thousands so it was easy for to lose track of how many years they'd lived. "I'm about three hundred years old." Casey couldn't help but laugh at the incredulous look that came over Liv's face.

"If I didn't already trust you I would think you're lying since there's no way you look that old."

Casey laughed again, "Well thank you. Even to an immortal, it feels good to be told how good we look."

Liv moved on to her next question, "You said Caius was your ex. And that he was a vampire."

Casey's mood soured upon the mention of that ass. She growled, "Vampires are about as old if not older than the Therians. Caius himself is maybe a hundred or so years older than me. We were together for only about fifty years over two hundred years ago."

"Are they really like they are in books?" Olivia asked doubtfully.

"If you mean, do they drink the blood of humans, the answer is yes. They have similarities to those in books. They have the fangs, the undead appearance though they aren't just living corpses, are stronger, faster, and more indestructible than humans- about as equally so as Shifters; they surpass us speed wise if I'm completely honest but not by a whole lot. They prefer the night and dark places but can go out in the sun; it's just a little uncomfortable for them. They cannot transform into bats or sparkle; both suggestions are just ridiculous, no offense to the writers who say they can; they are entitled to their imaginations after all. They generally are dark beings. They're manipulative, conniving, ruthless, greedy, and ambitious. They'll kill anything that gets in their way and not think twice about it."

"So then how'd one end up being your boyfriend?"

Casey ran a hand down her face guiltily, "The Seethe- that's what a coven of vampires is called- that Caius comes from isn't that bad. Most of them are at least tolerable and somewhat pleasant. Caius' mother and father are the King and Queen and formed an alliance with the Therians, something most vampires refuse to do because they see us as human-loving softies. When I was younger, my pack leader and parents and his parents thought it would be a good idea if they arranged a marriage between one of their sons and one of the female Shifters that would cement the alliance. I was the most eligible female at the time so lucky me was picked. Caius is the second oldest son and, since his older brother already had a mate, was the prime choice. We weren't yet full grown at the time so spent most of our adolescent years always together. It was expected that our Mating Bond would form, we would marry, and eventually take over the throne. I didn't mind. I liked Caius a lot; he was sweet and charming, nothing like the rest of the vampires I'd known. He was always doing nice things for me, buying me gifts, complimenting me, supporting me, making me laugh. He would even take me to the beach even though it bothered his skin because he knew I loved it. It didn't feel like it was to be a forced marriage; I loved him. Or I thought I loved him. Not long after I'd fully matured, I was told that my Mating Bond should feel stronger, that my wolf should be calling for him, to be with him. But she wasn't. She didn't dislike him; she just didn't want him to be her mate despite the fact that I did." At Liv's confused look, she back tracked a little bit. "Inside every Therian resides two spirits. The human and whatever animal he or she transforms into. We are fused together and can only exist with the connection to the other, but we can act and think individually. And the Mating Bond is… well, I guess it's like the soulmate concept. You just KNOW deep in your heart and soul that this person is meant for you. And usually what comes with that feeling is your animal calling out for and acting up in response to that person. A true Bond can only form between two people where this happens for at least one person. Other races have their own forms of the Bond too, but that's how ours work."

"Why did they want you to Bond with Caius?"

Casey tried to think of a way to explain this clearly. "When two people are Bonded it can make them even stronger, faster, and impenetrable than usual. It allows for them to heal faster as well. The couple are linked mentally, emotionally, telepathically, and soulfully to each other, meaning one can hear the other's thoughts, feel the other's emotions and therefore can influence them. They can converse mentally. They can always sense the other and know where they are no matter how far apart. There are some other abilities that can come with it but every couple is different. My mother told me that it's like this invisible string that wraps around both hearts, that they can always feel that string and use it like a pathway to get into each other's mind, heart, and soul."

"Okay," Liv said slowly, her mind piecing all the facts so far together. "And this seemed like a good quality for their future King and Queen to have?"

"Exactly. Politically, it makes sense. Caius and I would've been the perfect team. We would've been less open to attack and feared by enemies because they would know that they most likely wouldn't have been able to kill us or defeat us in a battle. So you could see why it would be disconcerting that I didn't show any signs of the Bond with Caius."

Olivia nodded. It did make sense. "So what happened?"

"Well naturally everyone was concerned. I was too, and I tried to convince my wolf to change her mind. Of course, as with every other animal spirit, she has a mind of her own and was adamant that Caius wasn't meant for us. I could tell Caius was angry and offended but he never actually said so. Both sides discussed whether there was another option, if there was another Wolf that may Bond with Caius or even another son that I would Bond with, but this seemed like the only way. A lesser Bond would still be very advantageous and everyone hoped that maybe it would blossom into a full Bond later on. So Caius and I mated. It was… enjoyable- you know, as much as your first time can be- and a weak Bond was formed. Caius and I were connected enough to be able to feel each other's thoughts and emotions, communicate telepathically, and we healed faster, so it was a start. After that though, my wolf wasn't the same. She was irritable and fidgety, like she knew something wasn't right, that something bad was going to happen. I really shouldn't have been surprised when she ended up being right."

Casey paused, knowing this next part of her story would be hard for her to tell. Olivia could sense the change and scooted closer for comfort. Casey hesitantly reached for her hand. Liv gave it to her eagerly, giving her a gentle squeeze. Casey smiled slightly at her gratefully and then continued, "Caius' father decided that, since our Bond wasn't as strong as we'd hoped, Caius couldn't have the throne until either he died or our Bond strengthened. Caius was furious and flew off the handle. He demanded his parents, my pack, me to know how he could strengthen the Bond but no one knew. The Bond either fully formed or it didn't. But that was unacceptable so Caius decided he'd do whatever he could to make our Bond stronger. He kidnapped and chained me, telling me he was going to try everything possible to make our Bond true. He told me that maybe we had to have more sex, different sex. He raped me over and over in every position imaginable. When that didn't work, he thought maybe I had to be weaker and more dependent on him, that I had to NEED him. He starved me, didn't let me drink, beat me within an inch of death, turned the heat so high I nearly died of heat stroke and then so low that I nearly froze. When that didn't work, he fed from me and made me drink his blood, sometimes until I threw up. The whole time I could feel his anger all around me, inside me; I could feel his wildness, his bloodlust, his need for power, his desperation. He finally had the idea to kidnap a witch and tried to force her to use magic to strengthen our Bond. She tried to tell him that there was no such magic, but he didn't believe her. He threatened to kill her and her children if she didn't try. I can still remember it. I was on the floor, a blood-covered skeleton, unable to move, barely able to breathe, in so much pain; I'm sure she could see in my eyes that I had given up, that I was ready to die. I wished I could've told her that I was sorry, that I felt responsible for it all. My wolf KNEW- she knew Caius wasn't right and I didn't listen. Maybe if I had…" Casey's eyes filled with tears.

Olivia held her hand with both of hers and said, "It wasn't your fault Case."

Casey continued, "She looked at me with such sorrow and despair. She was a White Witch- the peaceful kind of Witches- so she hated to see another being in pain and there I was dying in front of her and she couldn't save me. She bravely agreed to try some magic, and I got ready to greet death. But when she started speaking the spell in another language, I felt strength pouring into me. I was healing and fattening, becoming almost healthy again. Caius was too busy watching her to notice. But then, when I was nearly healed, I started to feel a horrible burning in my chest. I started screaming. Caius started screaming. I could feel that he was in pain too. He was also scared and shocked and confused. He tried to attack her, but he clutched his chest and fell to the ground. We were both writhing on the ground. I looked to her and could see the pain was reflected in her eyes. She hated to be causing us pain. That's when I felt it. That connection between Caius and I was tearing. My wolf barked in approval and helped me to calm. The strength the witch had given me earlier kept filling me, keeping me from passing out. Caius on the other hand was starting to weaken. He glared at the witch and gasped, 'What the hell are you doing?' But she kept chanting. Finally, the connection snapped and I was free. The pain faded within a few breaths. The Witch helped me to my feet and, while Caius was recovering, pulled me toward the door. Despite being mostly healed, I was still weak and shaky. We'd almost made it there when Caius got to his feet. The Witch told me to go on, that she would deal with him. I started to protest, but she pushed me away. I could hear them fighting as I got away. I wanted to go back and help, but I knew I'd be no match for him. I didn't want to be his prisoner again. So I pushed on until I was home with my pack. They were furious about what had been done to me and went to Caius' parents. To stop a war from breaking out, the King agreed to banish Caius from the territory. I was kept under constant protection for a few years, and Caius stayed gone. I'm sure he was furious about it, but I was glad I wasn't connected to him anymore. But the severing of a Mating Bond, which usually happens through death, does a lot of damage. The one left behind is left broken if not dead. In my case, I was left unable to taste; my eyesight isn't as sharp as it once was and colors are faint; my hearing is equal to a human's; I can't feel physical pain or pleasure."

Liv's eyes widened slightly, "Does that mean…?"

Casey nodded grimly, "I can't become aroused… Physically. I can find someone attractive and WANT to get with them. And so can my Wolf. But I won't…" She gave up trying to be delicate, "Oh Hell! I can't get wet. I can't get horny, can't throb with need for someone or be open and ready for them. I can't orgasm, no matter how much I may want to. And God do I wish I could."

Olivia frowned sympathetically. She couldn't even imagine what that must be like. "So what do you do?"

Casey snorted, "I do nothing. I don't want to fall into bed with someone and have to explain to them that I can't get wet. The one time I did do that, the guy assumed I didn't want it, that I was lying when I said I did, and walked out. It was humiliating. After that I vowed, no more sex."

"Is there any way to fix what the severing of the Bond broke?" the brunette asked curiously, wishing she could help Casey.

"I've been told that a true Bond could reverse the effects as well as add the expected ones," Casey spoke hesitantly, not sure if she should drop the other bomb yet.

Olivia was silent for a moment as she thought. She tried to think back to that moment they first met, when she remembered instantly feeling something towards Casey, something she couldn't identify, before covering it up with the hostility, dislike, and mistrust. She wondered if that's the feeling Casey was talking about when she's explained the Bond, the instantaneous jolt of knowing that that person was meant to be your mate. Certainly, if Olivia hadn't been so quick to hate Casey for replacing Alex she might have realized her feelings sooner, that she'd had them from that very moment. It didn't matter that Casey was left broken by her last Bond, that she couldn't react physically to arousal. Liv had to know. Slowly she asked, "Do you think you'll find a true Bond with someone?"

"Yes I do."

"Do you think that maybe… we have a Bond between us?"

Casey froze. Had she heard right? "Liv?"

Liv looked down at their hands, "Well. I was just wondering because I like you Casey. A lot. In that way. Oh god, I sound like a teenager with her first crush." She blushed.

Casey didn't believe it. Olivia LIKED her? "Even after everything I told you?" she blurted her thoughts.

"Well yah Case," she said it like it was so obvious, "It doesn't matter to me what you are or what happened to you. Sure, it's hard for me to wrap my brain around it completely and I gotta admit it's all kinda weird. But eventually I'll understand. None of it changes how I feel about you."

"Oh Liv," Casey breathed as she felt tears of joy slide down her cheeks. She gently cupped Liv's jaw and pulled her head up so she could see her eyes. Even when all other colors seemed dull and lifeless, Olivia's eyes somehow shone bright with color- a fact Casey had noticed before but never gave much thought to. Now she knew it meant that Liv was the one she was meant for. Her wolf barked happily in agreement. "Yes. I think we have a Bond between us. I think we've had it since day one. I really like you too."

Liv's eyes lit up, "You do?"

"Actually, let me revise that. I'm in love with you. And my wolf is too."

Olivia grinned, "I love you too Case." She didn't waste any more time pressing her lips to the red-head's. Instantly, it was like something exploded inside them. It was warm and electrocuting, spreading through every molecule in their bodies, the epicenter being their hearts, until it encompassed them both. They were connected; they could feel the other's soul rubbing against their own until they swirled and melted together. They gasped into each other's mouths but didn't pull away. Their mouths fused together, their tongues sliding in a dance, tastes mixing. Casey's wolf howled and danced in ecstasy and joy. It was incredible and they only wanted more. Olivia slid her body as close to Casey's as possible. Her arms circling around her waist and gripping her vest as if she might disappear at any moment. Casey responded by pulling Liv almost into her lap and digging her hands in the shaggy locks. They made out heavily for a few moments until they both grew lightheaded. They rested their foreheads together as they tried to regain their breath. The effects from the explosion began to dim but didn't completely fade. They were left tingling, their hearts twitching. Finally, Olivia said, "Wow. Was that the Bond?"

Casey could only nod.

"Incredible," Liv breathed.

They sat there in silent for a few more moments, content to just hold and stare at one another. Finally, Casey whispered, "Would you like to stay the night? I promise not to bite." She winked.

Olivia chuckled, "I would love to."

Casey smiled happily and stood, taking Olivia with her. Olivia instinctually wrapped her legs around Casey's waist and giggled; her joy was starting to boil over. Casey was sure she'd never heard a more beautiful sound and grinned even wider as she carried the detective to her bedroom. Gently she placed Liv on the bed and lay on top of her. She wanted nothing more than to ravage the brunette and make her hers. But Casey also wanted to be able to reciprocate when she and Liv finally made love. Besides, Liv was starting to look tired as the events of the day started catching up to her and Casey didn't want to be too hasty with this. Shifters tended to be very passionate, wild lovers; she couldn't bear it if she hurt Liv, especially when she wasn't as good a lover as she should be. Still, she couldn't bring herself to move off the gorgeous woman beneath her and simply gazed at her. Olivia looked back up at her as she gently began to ghost her fingers over Casey's face. Casey sighed as her eyes fluttered. Liv knew that any sane person would be running for the hills after all she'd seen and learned today. But whoever says love and sanity go hand-in-hand has clearly never been in love before. She truly didn't care that Casey was a shapeshifter or that she was hundreds of years old or that she was damaged by her broken Bond with Caius- any of it. Liv surely had her share of negative qualities. Casey had proven over and over that she wouldn't hurt Olivia. The way she had gently laid her on the bed and was now softly holding her was only the tip of the iceberg. Casey was amazing- pure and simple. And Liv loved her. Allowing Casey to see a more vulnerable side of her without a second thought, Olivia pleaded, "Will you hold me?"

If Casey could purr, she would. "I would like nothing more," she responded. Slowly, she leaned over to turn off the light before stripping herself of Liv's jacket and pants and tossing them to the floor. Liv could just barely see her outline through the moonlight and she gasped at Casey's beauty, feeling a stirring in her heart and between her legs. Sensing that that wasn't what Casey wanted right now though, Liv wordlessly followed her lead and stripped naked too. Casey's eyes strained to take in as much of Liv's body as she could; she wished she still had the ability of nightvision. She leaned to pull the covers up as they both lay down. Casey opened herself for Liv who eagerly snuggled in close. They both sighed and shivered at the feel of naked skin on naked skin. Liv rested her head on Casey's chest so she could hear her heart beat, draped an arm across her stomach, and slid a leg between Casey's. Casey folded her arms and a leg around Liv protectively. For a while they rested peacefully, soaking up the feel of the other's body and presence. Neither was aware of the subtle formation, solidifying, and deepening of the Bond as Olivia whispered, "Night Casey."

Casey smiled, "Night Liv."

It wasn't much longer before they were both fast asleep, the Bond quickly sewing itself between and in them, Casey's wolf spreading her blessing through it.