AN: Special thanks to Ghostwriter for your support. Please read and review.

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS RATED MATURE. IT IS NOT SUITABLE FOR SOME READERS AND MAY BE CONSIDERED OFFENSIVE. THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS DESCRIPTIONS OF SEX AND SEXUALITY. DO NOT PROCEED IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 OR MAY BE OFFENDED BY THIS MATERIAL.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Surprisingly, it was Shea and not Gabriel who awoke first that evening. In fact, Shea opened her eyes to find that somehow, she'd either shifted in her sleep or Gabe had pulled her, because she now lay sprawled out across his body. It felt wonderful. Shea hated that. The line had been crossed, and somehow, this was going to end up ugly. Trying not to disturb him, she pulled herself off of Gabe and headed to the bathroom.

Vampires don't sweat or really even get dirty, for that matter. In fact, the only scent that emanated from a vampire was usually perfume, the mustiness of old clothes, or sometimes the blood and/or sweat of a victim. But baths were one of the human things that Shea refused to give up. She loved fragrances and soaps and fruity shampoos. Seeing as her father had drank away almost every dollar he ever earned, there had never been any sweet-smelling toiletries or anything of that sort. A memory drifted to mind as she dug around under Gabe's sink.

Shea had been a vampire for only a few years at the time, and lived with Max. When you're a vampire, the nights blend into one another and the concept of time is easily lost. Max couldn't tell what month it was sometimes, only guessing by the season. Yet, he never once forgot Shea's birthday. She had told him her first birthday as a vampire that they now mattered even less than they had before. That night, a cake miraculously appeared in the small apartment, which David had jeered at. Shea would burn out the candles; all eighteen of them, and the cake remained there for a few days until it was thrown out. Max would present a gaily wrapped present, which he seemed even more excited about than Shea. Every year after that, there would be a cake and a present, always with eighteen candles.

That particular year, Max had given Shea a bag full of soaps and perfumes, no doubt picked out by a saleslady before the store closed. They were wonderful, and Shea had been so delighted that Max made sure that from that point on she always had those things. Even on her own, she managed to procure them. By now, Shea thought wryly, she'd probably worn every scent ever made at some point or another.

Unfortunately, Gabriel was not nearly so inclined. Shea finally found a fresh-scented bar of soap, and turned the hot water on. Shea was already soaped up when she heard the door open. Gabe walked in, having been woken by the sound of the shower. He pulled back the curtain and grinned. Without a word, he stepped into the shower with Shea and turned her away from him. Taking the washcloth from her, he ran it over her back, kissing and nibbling at her neck.

Shea didn't want to enjoy it, but she did. She couldn't help herself. She turned and took the washcloth back, and began soaping Gabe up in return. She had to kneel in order to reach his long legs, and seeing her in that position, Gabe's cock twitched. Shea looked up at him, slightly surprised, and then took the shaft in her hand. Her hand moved back and forth and the other ran the washcloth along his legs. When Gabe's head tipped back in ecstasy, Shea shifted and took him into her mouth. With a gasp, Gabe's head jerked down as he watched her. Shea moved her head back and forth, her tongue swirling around him. Gabe's hand tangled in her hair as his hips gently pumped in time with her rhythm.

Finally, Gabe found himself close to the brink. Tightening his grip on her wet locks, he gently pulled her up to face him. He pushed her against the wall of the shower as his hand slid up between her thighs. Gabe's fingers spread her flesh, diving inside of her. She was already wet and ready for him, and Gabe couldn't wait any longer. Gabe slid his forearms under Shea's thighs and lifted her, leaving her pressed firmly to the wall and her legs spread wide for him. Pressing her mouth to his, Shea reached down and guided his hard cock to her, positioning him at her throbbing entrance. With one quick, hard, thrust, Gabe embedded himself deep inside Shea. He began a quick, forceful pace, the water helping their bodies slide against each other. Before long, they reached their climax, gasping underneath the steady stream of hot water.

Slowly, Gabe lowered Shea back down to her feet. They struggled to regain their strength. Gabe kissed Shea softly and told her, "As much as I'd like to stay here and do this all night, we need to get back to the lab." He helped her out of the shower and wrapped her in a towel before wrapping one around himself. He didn't notice how Shea's face fell at his words. Gabe wasn't going to give up on this, no matter how hopeless his quest for a cure was.