Maddie and Jas stepped into the shower. As was becoming usual between them, they didn't need words to express what they needed. Warm water washed away the sheen of sweat. Jas took great pleasure in lathering the loofah with cherry-sandalwood body wash and soaping her down from her throat to her hips. Her knees almost gave way as his slipery hands wandered over her sensitive skin. He kissed her as the water swept away the bubbles. One finger slipped inside her hot core, and she moaned into his mouth. Her knees trembled, and she had to lean against the wall to keep from falling.

Easily, Jas lifted her up by her hips and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Then he slowly lowered her on to his ridged manhood, piercing her with exquizid pleasure. His feet braced against the sides of the bathtub, he began grinding his hips into hers. Maddie reached up and grabbed the shower curtain pole as he stroked her sensitive parts. She moaned and whimpered as he continued to casually, slowly make love it her. The water droplets splashing on her skin only heightened her pleasure and excitement. He bent his head to take one peaked nipple in his mouth. She cried out as his teeth scraped over and over her breast.

Time stretched on as the pleasure mounted in both of them. Like slow moving but glowing lava, molten pleasure piled, pooled, and swelled inside both of them, until with a final scream the orgasm overtook Maddie. Her muscles clenched hard, and Jas plunged deep into her one last time before he also succumbed to the pinnacle of their love. His legs were weak, and it took most of his strength to stay upright as pleasure rippled through them both, the aftershocks feeding off of one another.

Maddie unwound her legs, her knuckles white with her grip on the shower curtain bar. She gave herself a few more seconds to let the running water take away the new evidence of their lust. Then she turned off the water and very carefully exited the bathtub. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her, without thinking she also handed one to Jas. Obligingly he accepted it.

She went to her room and habitually reached for her sexy outfits. Then she felt a flood of warmth, reasurance, and love from Jas, along with the distincive feel of a wink. She remembered that she was quitting, and didn't ever need to wear corsets and fishnets again.

"I would not mind if you occasionally donned such apparel for my enjoyment," he whispered in her ear. Maddie turned to smile at him and saw he was fully clothed in black jeans, a dark blue button down shirt, open at the collar to show a twinkling silver chain.

"How did you do that?" she demanded. "I didn't even see your clothes on the floor."

"Do what?" Jas asked, mischievously innocent. "This?" His clothes melted away from his olive skin and Maddie gasped. Just as quickly, they reappeared.

"How--?"

"I am of the earth. Manipulating and changing natural fibers is simple. When you join me in the night, you will also have this ability," he explained.

Maddie stared and then laughed. "Can you do that for me now?"

Jas smiled and eloquently waved his hand at her body. She looked down at herself and scowled. Jas had given her an off-the-shoulders cotton sweater that had a neckline so low her bare breasts spilled out. And instead of soft denim jeans, he had wrapped her legs blue chaps, leaving her completely vulnerable to his eyes and lusts. Emphatically she caught his amusement and mounting desire.

"Hey, finish!" she scolded. "I have one last job to do and I can't do it like this."

With a regretful sigh, he waved his hand again and her clothes filled in the gaps. "I prefer you without any garments, anyway," he said a tad sullenly.

Maddie's mouth quirked at his boyish attitude. "Lets, go," she said.

They went down stairs and Maddie waved to her super who was watering the cactus outside the apartment buildings. The middle aged man raised an eyebrow when he saw Jas. In response, Jas swept Maddie under his arm, his hand wandering down from her shoulder to her waist, and then down to squeeze her butt. She playfully batted at his shoulder, but she couldn't hide her smile.

They got in the car, Maddie pointedly taking the driver's seat. Jas relinquished the position of power and folded his long legs into the passenger seat. The drive to the club was quick and quiet. Jas continuously sent his life mate waves of love and reassurance, pride at her for taking such a leap. He was humbled by her faith in him, her willingness to put her life completely into his hands.

At the club, Maddie lead the way to the dancer's door. Inside she sought out Diesel, who was standing beside the bar, a cup of coffee in his hand in stead of the usual bottle of beer.

"Madalyn!" he cried with relief and swept her into a bear hug. She felt the burst of jealous rage from Jas and diplomatically extricated herself from Diesel's grip. Jas was beside her instantly, one hand protectively around her waist.

The two men stared at each other, Jas blatantly challenging Diesel to protest his possession of Maddie, and Diesel nervous about the man he vaguely remembered from months past, but couldn't shrug off the feeling of pending doom the dark man radiated.

"Where's Barry?" she asked by way of ending the staring contest between them.

"He's in the office," Diesel said, waving at the red door behind the bar.

Maddie turned to Jas and looked him in the eye to make a point. "I'm going to talk to Barry and sort some things out. You stay out here, and--" she held up a placating hand as she felt his protests rise, "I will call you when I need you."

Reluctantly, he nodded. Satisfied, she slipped through the door.

Barry was an ex-body-builder, with muscles to spare. Where Diesel had the build and attitude of a rhino, Barry was sculpted by steroids and obsessive weightlifting. Diesel had tattoes, but Barry had "body art" starting at his neck, down his shoulders, along his arms, around his back and waist, and (every dancer suspected) even farther down his body. He shaved his head and face and didn't seem to have a single body hair on the rest of his glistening body.

When she entered the office, he was standing behind the desk, pushing files and official documents into a box. For all appearances, he was ransacking the office of everything legal.

"Mads, there you are!" he said a little desperately. "Did you meet Rodger Judge last night?"

"No," she said slowly. "Who's that?"

"My new partner. We're opening up a small club in one of the casinos on the strip, and I want you to work for us."

"I'm quitting," she said sharply.

"Good to hear it," Barry said, mistaking her meaning as he grabbed more documents. "You can start some cage-work tonight if you like."

"No, I mean I'm quitting the buisness," she clarified, a little miffed at Barry's traitorous attitude. "I'm never dancing for money again."

"What?" Barrie cried, for the first time looking at her face. He noticed that she was even more beautiful in simple clothes. Maybe it was a new makeup, but she fairly glowed with loveliness. While he was a callous man when it came to sexual desire, having lived and worked in Vegas clubs all his life, he couldn't help the quick erotic fantasies that flashed through his mind. He knew she would look even better in his new club, he just had to get her there. "Is it money you need? I'll pay you well--more than you got here. And you can keep all your tips."

Maddie felt his rush of lust, and it turned her stomach. She felt Jas just outside the door, waiting for her to make any indication that she needed him and radiating reassurance and pride in her. She took courage from him and stood a little straighter.

"It's not about money, Barry. You know I've never been career-dancer material," she said. "I'm done with being eye-candy for scumbags. It's over."

"Maddie, be reasonable," he pleaded. "This club is a dump and you know it. Just try out my new place, just for a couple of weeks."

"It's not going to happen. And what are you doing here?" she waved her arms at the disarray of the office. "Mr. Sees is going to be pissed when he gets here."

"I'm taking what's mine," Barry snapped. Swiftly, he came around from the desk and grabbed her arm. "And I'm not leaving without you. I'll make you the dance manager--anything you want. You're the best dancer here, and I'm not going to let you get away."

Maddie felt Jas pressed close to the door, and only her soothing waves of reassurance were keeping him from breaking in and forcibly removing Barry's hand from her arm and his body.

"I'm a writer, Barry," she said clearly and proudly. "I'm done. You need to leave this club." She looked deep into his eyes and felt Jas's power moving through her towards him. Barry snatched his hand away from her as if she had burned him. Then he walked jerkily out of the office, forgetting the box of papers he'd feverishly been filling.

Jas came up behind Maddie and encircled her in his strong arms. He nuzzled her hair, enjoying the smell of her.

"Are we done here?" he asked, huskily.

"I think so," she said as she relished his body heat. "What about Diesel?"

"We will keep tabs on him," Jas assured her as he guided her out of the office. Diesel was there, looking concerned.

"Are you really quitting?" he asked, a note of sadness in his voice.

"Yes," she replied.

"And is this sucker really going to take care of you?" he gestured at Jas.

"The best care," she assured him.

"Then let me walk you out," he said resignedly and lead them out the front door of the club. "I'm glad you're getting out, Madalyn. You deserve better than this."

"And I intend to give it to her," Jas growled affectionately. Diesel couldn't help but smile as he pushed the doors open, leading the way into the parking lot.

He stopped suddenly, turned back to look at Maddie and Jas, consternation on his features. Then he fell to the ground, blood pooling around him. Maddie screamed. Jas was instantly at the bouncer's side, probing with his mind to discover the nature of the wound. Someone grabbed Maddie from behind, digging a gun silencer into the small of her back.

"He has been shot," he said and looked up at Maddie to reassure her. His face darkened and his eyes burned with blue and red flames. He bared his long teeth, ready to spring on her captor.

A whistling ping came from behind Maddie, and a red dart embedded itself just below Jas's collar bone. Jas looked down at the dart, one hand moving to pull it out, but before he could reach it, his body slumped over as if paralyzed. Maddie felt the pain crawling through Jas's system as he slowed his heart and breathing to prevent the drug spreading.

"I don't know what you did to me back there," Barry hissed in her ear. "But I'm not about to let you get away. You're my ticket to the big time. Mr. Sees didn't know what you were when you walked into the club asking for a job, but I saw you for what you were. See, we're alike you and I. I know you're psychic, because I am too. I don't know who this chump is, but Judge said if a tall dark stranger ever came lurking around that that poison dart would take care of him. And Judge hasn't steered me wrong yet."

Maddie's stomach was knotting as she stared at Barry and Jas, both lying like dead men, unable to say anything in response to Barry's monologue. Her nightmare had only shown her part of the horror, and the reality of it was nearly suffocating. She wanted to scream and rage, but shock numbed her limbs and voice. She couldn't believe that the powerful man who'd claimed her life could be taken out by one small dart. Grief started welling up deep in her.

Be at ease, kitling, she heard his smooth voice in her mind. I will not allow a small thing like death come between us. Be strong, and I will be with you shortly.

Barry pulled Maddie toward his black Lincoln. Maddie was stunned at Barry's treachery and relieved that Jas was let herself be hustled along, streetwise enough to fein compliance. She knew that Barry wanted her alive for some reason, and that gave her an edge--because she was more than willing to see him dead for what he had done to Diesel and Jas. She would bide her time, find a weapon, and then Barry would learn first hand how cruel a woman could truly be.

Jas watched through cloudy eyes as the black car drove away. The pain from the poison dart was excruciating. He turned his attention inward to examine it, but didn't understand what he found. It was like nothing he'd ever seen before. Desperate to nullify the poison and rescue his life mate, he did the one thing he'd avoided at all costs for the last 900 years. He called out to his people.

Hear me. I am an ancient, loyal to the prince of our people. My life mate has been taken from me, and I have been poisoned and am unable to follow her. I require immediate aid. He filled his broadcast with as much truth and urgency as possible.

After a moment, he received a reply, strength and competence infused in the voice, I am Aiden Savage. Let me see the toxin in your blood.

Jas sent him the information quickly, opening himself up to the stranger's probing. Quickly Aiden dissected the chemical makeup of the poison and gave him directions to break down and cleanse his body. Added to his directions was strength to keep unwanted audiences away. The poison was not as sophisticated as some of the more recent biological weapons used against their race, and although it was painful, it was quickly cleansed from Jas's system.

Do you require further assistance? Aiden asked.

Possibly, Jas replied. I will feed and retrieve my life mate, but there are dark influences here that must be dealt with. Las Vegas might be a cespool of the vilest of humans, but something else is lurking here, feeding off of it.

I will leave now and be with you on the next rising to exterminate this threat, Aiden said and cut off contact.

Jas restarted his heart and lungs, and looked down at the inert form of Diesel. A quick mind probe revealed that the bouncer was still alive, barely. Jas gathered his strength and shed his body. As a being of pure energy, he entered Diesel's body to repair the damage. The bullet had shattered a rib, passed through the left lung, and lodged itself in his shoulder blade. Left unattended, he would bleed out in a mater of minutes, and had already lost too much blood. Jas poured power into Diesel's body as he healed the man enough so that human paramedics would save his life. He boosted the marrow's red blood cell production and melted some of the man's own fat stores to provide energy for the healing.

When he pulled out of Diesel's body, he was weak with fatigue. Still, he could not leave the man to lie in his own blood while he waited for the paramedics. Gritting his teeth, he pulled one of Diesel's arms over his shoulder and gently lifted the muscular giant, dragging him back in the club. The regular patrons gave him a wide berth, but the dancers felt no such compulsion. In fact they rushed to his side before Jas could call them to him to take care of the bouncer.

"What happened?" cried Sidney.

"Barry shot him," Jas told her shortly.

"That son-of-a--" she cursed.

"I need you to call the paramedics," Jas insisted.

"RIght," Sidney agreed, and called over her shoulders, "Sparkle! Kandi! Get over here!"

Jas melted back into the shadows of the nightclub and, pushing his waning strength, shielded himself from prying eyes. He crept up behind on of the regulars, extended the blurring effect around his chosen victim, and sank his teeth into the man's neck. His mind quickly ensnared that of his prey, and soothed away all feeling, numbing the man completely. Jas fed, then released him and quickly pulled another regular into the shadows. All the while he kept an eye on the dancers. They were oddly calm, keeping track of Diesel's vital signs and clearly instructing the paramedics to the club. Sidney got on stage and announced to all the guests that there had been a family tragedy and it would be best if everyone left.

When Jas had finished feeding, he disolved into vapor and left the club.