"Always," Lewis said, startling Mark out of a half-doze.

Mark reached the side of the bed a full second after Carla. She had efficiently checked all her monitors and was listening to Lewis' heart. Lewis was staring at her with a raised eyebrow. Mark looked down at Keri. Her face was peaceful, she was breathing normally but she didn't stir.

"She's fine," Lewis assured him. "Just exhausted." The older man sighed and laid his head back on the pillow. "Again." His mouth twisted in an annoyance that was plain to read. "I am supposed to be protecting and caring for her," he muttered.

His own mouth twitching, Mark allowed himself to feel sympathy for Lewis. He was certain he would not appreciate having someone he considered softer and weaker taking all the risks for him either.

Carla shook her head as she straightened. "She did it. They're both fine. The brain waves diverged and Keri's went back to the pattern she had when I first hooked her up. Lewis' changed completely as expected for a successful reclamation." She stared at the other woman. "Your mate is an incredible talent, Lewis. My congratulations."

"Thank you." Lewis shifted to his side and looked carefully around the room before taking Keri into his arms. He settled her, stroked her cheek, and then looked up at Mark. "As soon as we've rested, you will review your security measures with me. I do not feel they are adequate."

Mark's brows rose in surprise. Lewis had done a cursory review of their security when they arrived. He'd pronounced it understaffed but efficient. He shrugged. The man now remembered losing one mate and was more sensitive to the possibility of losing another. It was understandable given the circumstances. "Of course. I'll likely be in my office. I'll have a watch at the door here for you while you rest."

"That would be appreciated."

... ...

Keri sighed contentedly as strong arms cradled her close to a warm, hard chest. She could feel Lewis' breath in her hair and the hum of his mind through the bond. He stroked her back as she stirred. All was well with her world.

Stretching, she opened her eyes to look at him and smiled. He returned her gaze passively, not smiling, no raised eyebrow, nothing. Her eyebrows shot up. "What's wrong?" she asked.

That, at least, got a reaction. His eyes darted quickly around the room; she could almost see his senses straining. "Nothing," he told her. "All is well."

"Okaaaay," she said cautiously. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine. You are well, my own?"

"Sure. I'm great." She inched her way up to kiss his lips. They softened under hers, and his arms tightened around her as he returned it. Ah, that was much better. "Mmmm. Oh yeah, I'm feeling wonderful." She giggled as his mouth left hers and kissed and nibbled down her neck. His hands were moving too, unfastening clothing quickly and efficiently, and removing it almost without her notice, let alone assistance. She moaned as he made his way down her chest, to the large, soft globes, kneading them, laving their peaks with hot, wet strokes of his tongue. "Oh, god, yes."

"What do you want, Keridwen?" he asked silkily.

She blushed but managed to force out the words. "I want you to suck on them." He smiled and complied, suckling and biting until her nipples were hard and distended and the ache was echoed in her core. As his mouth pleasured her breasts his hands were moving lower, stroking and teasing the heated folds between her thighs. One finger, then two barely entered her canal, while his thumb pressed hard against her clitoris.

Keri writhed under his touch; her hips straining upward against his hand, reaching for the edge that beckoned so closely. He bit down on one nipple, hard, as his fingers plunged fully inside her. She shrieked and bucked, spasming in pleasure, then gasped as his fingers pulled away to be replaced by his hard cock. He pushed into her hot wetness, stretching her with his girth. Her legs had spread for him, she wasn't sure when, and he had pressed them back so that her thighs were angled close to her body. Those long lean fingers had taken up where his mouth had left off, squeezing and rubbing her sensitized nipples, feeding the flame that burned between them and her core.

She saw Lewis smile with satisfaction as she sobbed his name; he plunged in and out of her, stretching her further with every thrust, bearing down on her breasts with a thumb pressed into each hard peak. Finally she felt the bond snap fully open, the sensations doubling into dual perspective. His eyes closed with the pleasure of it. "Yes!" he hissed, picking up the pace of his penetrations.

Her focus narrowed, she felt both the invasion of his hard flesh and the clinging pressure of her hot wetness around it. Body rocking from the power of his thrusts, the inner explosions caught her again, carrying them both into a flow of liquid heat as his ejaculation and her secretions simultaneously filled and surrounded them. Keri lost all strength in her body as he continued to thrust deeply, his orgasm seeming to go on forever to her pleasure-sated consciousness.

Keri was not surprised to awake boneless in his arms. This time she knew she had passed out. Lewis was looking at her with concern. "Sorry 'bout that," she said with a tired smile. "You are just too damn good."

He frowned. "I'll adjust for you," he promised. "This is unnecessary."

"Unnecessary?" She was confused. "Does it ruin it for you when I faint?" she asked.

His brows shot up. "On the contrary."

"Then what's the problem? I'm happy, you're happy…" she trailed off. He did not look happy. "Lewis, talk to me."

He stroked her back and sighed. "I am concerned. Your sapiens physiology is not designed to handle the full release of dominant passions. It may be harmful."

"Damn, Lewis. If that's harmful I must be turning into a masochist. I'm fine. Sure, it overwhelms me for a bit, but that's all, unless you're not telling me something. Is my heart beating wrong or my breathing stopping, or…"

"No, not beyond what it should be at such a time."

"Okay. Then we don't have a problem."

Lewis frowned. "Perhaps not."

... ...

He had carried her into the bathroom after filling the oversized tub with hot scented water. The aromatherapy beads in the cabinet had been a welcome find. His people had made the beneficial effects of that science a part of their daily lives long before it became trendy with the sapiens to do so.

Keridwen had giggled when he had lowered both of them into the steaming bath and was resting languidly in his arms as he carefully lifted one of her legs from the water and soaped its length. He encouraged her to bend it at the knee, lathered up her foot, running his fingers between her longish toes.

She sighed and turned to kiss his neck. "I need a pedicure," she mumbled. I don't suppose it's safe for me to go get one?"

"Absolutely not."

"Damn. Guess the manicure is out as well." Her back arched as he massaged her foot. "Oh, but this is very, very nice. Can I keep you?"

Lewis laughed. "No, my own. But I shall certainly keep you."

He washed her other leg, then moved on to her arms, massaging her hands and pulling out the kinks in her slender fingers. She shivered as he leaned her forward to soap up her back then pulled her against his chest as his hands moved to her waist and breasts.

Her nipples were hard, peeking out of the soapy lather as his hands moved between her legs. Keridwen was moaning softly in his ear, whispering praise for the skill of his touch. Lewis reached under her knees, then spread and lifted them so that her lower legs were dangling over the edges of the antique reproduction claw-footed tub.

His fingers had free rein over her sex and took full advantage of it. She squirmed under the teasing touch, and the movements of her rounded buttocks against his groin completed the job anticipation had begun.

"God, Lewis. I want you again," she groaned.

Chuckling, he told her, "You should always want me, my mate."

Keridwen laughed and swatted at his upper arm. "I do, but…oh, you know what I mean!"

"Of course," he whispered into her ear as two fingers plunged suddenly into her ready canal. She used her legs to lift herself up into the thrusting, her urgent movements splashing water over the tub's edge. He allowed her to reach orgasm and collapse against him to rest. His arousal didn't register on her senses until after her breathing had settled.

Her head moved on his shoulder until she could look into his eyes. "What about you?" she asked, her voice sounding troubled.

He smiled, slowly then rose up out of the tub, lifting her with him.

She gasped. "Damn, I keep forgetting how much stronger you are than humans." Shaking her head she continued, "Until you pull something like this."

Lewis turned and sat on the edge of the enameled cast iron tub and lifted her to straddle him. She groaned as he entered her, her head dropping back briefly to expose that aristocratic length of neck. Both her arms and legs wrapped around him and she shivered deliciously at the touch of water-slicked skin on skin.

He guided her arms from his back to rest on his shoulders, and moved one leg at a time from his hips to rest each shin against the tub edge while his other arm supported her back. Keridwen's eyes grew wide as she realized that only his grasp around her waist and hers on his shoulders prevented her from falling backwards.

As she swallowed her fear, he felt her trust rush at him through the bond. His eyes narrowed as she began to ride him, flexing her strong legs to raise and lower herself on this thick staff. She groaned with each penetration, and when he realized she did not have the leverage to push herself fully down he shifted his grip to her hips.

With the next downslide he pulled her sharply against him. She shrieked, then began to ride him faster, keening his name each time he sheathed himself fully within her. Her eyes began to glaze as he felt her begin to rock and shudder with a powerful orgasm. He did not allow the bond to snap open. He wanted her to feel only that which he could give to her directly.

Finally his own climax approached. Keridwen was breathless; panting desperately as he suddenly stood and moved her against the wall. Bracing her back against it he thrust powerfully into her. Her eyelids fluttered and she moaned incoherent words into his ear as his seed filled her waiting womb.

After resting a moment, his face pressed against hers, Lewis carried his mate back to bed, tucked her in then returned to the bathroom to take a serious shower.

... ...

Mark looked up sharply as the sound of a vehement but soft-spoken argument reached his ears. He rose and hurried up the stairs to where Lewis was staring coldly at the guard that had been left in the hall. "Is there a problem?" he asked.

Lewis did not respond. Mark wondered how he managed an expression that was both cold and smoldering at the same time. He looked to James, the twenty-two year old faction member that he had left on guard.

"He wanted me to stay here rather than accompany him," James reported. "I told him of my orders; he told me that my duty was to protect Keridwen in his absence."

Mark sighed. The guard had been instructed to keep an eye on Lewis and accompany him everywhere. He was to alert a superior if Lewis attempted to leave the property or enter a secured area on site. Lewis had chosen to interpret the young man's duties otherwise. They had no concerns over Keridwen. She was free to do as she chose. "Thank you, James. I will take over the duty I assigned to you. Stay here and see that no harm comes to Lewis' mate."

"Yes sir." The young man made the mistake of sneering at the former chameleon master. Mark was not fast enough to prevent Lewis from taking James by the throat.

"Lewis, let him go. He has done you no harm, and he obeys orders given to him by his leader. You are not that leader and had no right to countermand his orders."

"He will learn respect."

"And how will he do that," Mark asked reasonably, "if his elders do not show respect to their hosts?" Lewis' blue eyes were wintry as he set James down. "Go to your post," Mark told him. The boy nodded and moved back to the door, surreptitiously rubbing his throat.

Lewis had folded his arms across his chest and was staring at Mark. Mark could tell that words boiled below the surface, and he did not want them said here. "Shall we go to my office now?"

... ...

Lewis spun to face Mark as the door closed behind them. "I am taking charge of this operation," he informed the younger man.

Blinking his calm chocolate colored eyes slowly, Mark moved behind the desk and sat down. "Lewis," he began. "This is not an operation, this is a political faction. You have not accepted our faction's position, so you cannot lead it. You are a guest among us. We have welcomed you, we have provided medical assistance, and we have helped you to further your agenda as regards to Tom Daniels."

Frowning, Lewis dropped down into a chair. "In what way," he asked, ignoring all but the last statement.

"Our search teams have confirmed that there is a facility in Salinas, and that Tom is being held there."

"I was not informed of this," he said in a pleasant tone that would have sent his chameleons scurrying for cover. The arbiter simply nodded.

"You were unconscious when the report came in. When you came to, you were rightly concerned about your mate. I did not feel you would wish the news to interfere with that. Was I wrong?"

"No," Lewis admitted. He would have wished nothing to interfere with the time he had just spent with his mate. He allowed himself a slight smile. Keridwen was still at the peak of her fertility. "How is he?"

"He's well. One of the sapiens, the doctor in charge of the project, managed to get word to an old friend of his. He knew that Dr. Attwood had worked with Tom and would not approve of the Ashton woman's plans for him. He is delaying those plans as much as he can without arousing suspicion."

"What is the doctor's name?" Lewis asked, his eyes narrowing. There were other doctors in Danielle's employ with whom he had 'issues'.

"I don't have that information yet. Dr. Attwood and Mr. Peterson are on their way here. I have a team keeping the facility under surveillance to ensure Tom is not moved before we can extract him."

"Has Robert completed his sketches of the interior of the complex?"

"Yes. They are waiting for your review." Mark gestured to the worktable at the other end of the room. "Lewis," he said before Lewis could reach it. "You will not run this faction, nor give orders to any of its members. But should you prove to me that you are fit for duty, I will ask you to lead the extraction team. That team will be subject to your command for the duration of the operation."

Lewis nodded his agreement. That and a guard, however pitiful, to assist in protecting his mate were all that he wanted from them…at the moment.

ELSEWHERE

Sloan frowned as she started up the old VW camper. She didn't like driving it. Besides having to fight with the often-sticking manual transmission, the seat was stuck back far enough to accommodate Ed's long legs. Though she was not by any means short, Ed's legs had a good ten inches on hers. She had to sit forward on the seat and cram a big pillow behind her in order to reach the brake, clutch, and accelerator at all comfortably.

Thinking of her best friend, she turned to look where he lay sleeping in the back. He'd been awake long enough for her to sneak him out of the hospital, but had crashed again as soon as he'd hit the air mattress he kept in the back of the van.

Ed had been very lucky. The doctor who had warned her that government agents were planning to move him had also told her that he'd been given a sedative at a dosage more than five times what was recommended for his height and weight. He'd been in a coma for the entire first week, on a respirator and hooked up to an external pacemaker. The sedative had shut down most of his system. If she hadn't arrived and started CPR within minutes of the drug being administered, he would have died, or suffered severe brain damage at the very least.

He'd finally awoken about a week ago, but tired so very easily. That was what had driven home the reality of his close call to Sloan. She was so used to seeing Ed full of energy. He was often the first person in the lab each morning, and almost always the last to leave at night. Then he'd usually hit the pizza pub, the library, or the campus movie house and spend another few hours going full steam before finally getting to bed.

The transmission shifted, almost reluctantly, as she hit the clutch and wrestled with the stick. Ed would have a strong handshake even if he didn't rock climb and run and…well, all his other activities. Sloan turned down the main aisle of the garage and chewed on her lower lip as they approached the exit. She knew she had to get a few miles head start before they began looking for him. Otherwise she wasn't going to be able to change cars without the government agents knowing it.

She paid the lot fee and turned right then made an almost immediate left into a service lane that she'd discovered was locked at four in the afternoon. They made it into the lane just before the gate was closed behind them. The other end exited far from the garage and pedestrian exits of the hospital.

Sloan heard Ed mumble behind her. "Cross your fingers," she told him.

"Huh, what?"

"Cross your fingers, pray, whatever, that they don't have the other end of this driveway staked out."

"Oh, okay." Ed struggled to sit up. "Fell asleep again, huh?"

"Yep. I'm beginning to think it's the company," Sloan teased.

Ed looked up and met her eyes in the rear view mirror. "Sloan, whatever else anyone can say about you, being your friend is never boring. Dangerous, crazy…sure, but not boring."

"Gee thanks, Ed." Sloan shook her head. "Tell you what, next time someone comes along and asks for my vote, I'll tell them I want boring."

He groaned and settled back. "Good call," he muttered. "Hey, where are we going?"

"Remember the cave?"

"Where Lynch had Kelly and…"

"Yeah."

"Why there?"

Sloan sighed. "I had a call on the cell phone Walter gave me. The caller said to go there to get help finding Tom. It wasn't Walter or Ray…and I have a hunch it wasn't Walter's lady boss's people either."

"Great. Hell, Sloan, for all we know it could be one of them."

"This is going to sound way out there, Ed…and I'm sorry. But I'm counting on it."

"Maybe it's the drugs…I could swear you're saying you hope that the new species called you."

"Got it in one." She smiled at his perplexed expression. "Look, Walter may have given them the number…"

"Or they hacked the government records. Sloan, these people are dangerous. What if it's someone like Lewis?"

"I know, Ed. I know. But what if it's someone like Tom?"

Ed groaned and dropped back on the mattress. "You're taking another one of those leaps of faith," he accused.

"Yes. I guess I am."

He sighed. "Okay. But next time could you at least ask my opinion before you pull me off the ledge with you?"

Sloan chuckled as she pulled out of the far end of the driveway and merged with traffic.