Chapter Twelve

"The truth is rarely pure and never simple."

- Oscar Wilde

Penny's horror was pulsating in his mind. Hector swallowed thickly, trying to maintain focus. "What foul game are you playing, vampire?"

"Game?" Sevan looked offended by the suggestion. "I'm not playing any games, hunter. You wanted to see my precious woman, and I present her to you. Say hello, Bianca."

"Hello." The answer came automatically from the mouth…the face that was Bianca McCormick. It was her face…it looked no different than when Penny saw her eight years before. The hair was the same, the body was the same…but her skin was chalky white, and her dark eyes blazed red.

"Bianca died eight years ago," Hector said harshly. "This thing you have before us isn't her!"

"Thing?" the amusement left Sevan's face. "Thing? You called her a thing?"

Hector was about to speak more, but Sevan's anger took him completely off-guard. He was only using this vampiress; she was a thing to him! So how dare he act offended?

Penny stumbled around Hector, her eyes on the vampiress that looked like Bianca. "M-Mom…that…she…" she pressed a hand over her mouth once more. "Mom! It's you?"

"Penny, do not be fooled!" Hector spoke to her harshly. "That creature is not your mother! She has most likely been molded by the vampire's dark powers to look like her! To torment you!"

Penny looked at him. The tears were still spilling out, and it was the shock and horror of this was that the only thing keeping her from being hysterical. "Hector…"

"This isn't a lie, hunter," Sevan said snidely. "And don't try to delude her otherwise. This beautiful face you see before you is real." He cupped his hand to Bianca's chin. "I claimed her as mine eight years ago, and she's been by my si—"

"SHUT UP!" Penny shrieked. She almost rushed at them, but Hector physically restrained her. "That's not my mother! My mother is dead! You're lying!"

"I'm telling the truth," Sevan said coldly. "This is Bianca…this is my lifemate."

"JELÄ KEJE TERÁD!" Hector shouted, though he continued to restrain Penny. "Light sear you, foul creature! I will make you pay for your lies!"

Sevan only seemed amused by their anger. He leaned over and brushed his lips against Bianca's cheek. "Aren't you happy to see your daughter, Bianca? Granted, she's here to kill you but it's been eight long years. Aren't you pleased to see your daughter grown up?"

"No," Bianca responded.

"No?" Sevan feigned shock and moved away from her. "Why wouldn't you be?"

"Because she killed me."

Penny stopped struggling, and she gaped at the vampiress. "…What?"

"You killed me," Bianca said, the venom creeping back into her voice. "You cut my body apart and ripped my baby from my womb. Then you left me to bleed to death on the floor while you stole my child from me." Bianca narrowed her eyes at her. "You murderer."

Murderer…pain erupted from Penny's chest and she gasped, unable to scream. That thing couldn't be Bianca. It couldn't be her mother. But…but seeing the hate in those familiar eyes…hearing the hate in that voice…it was too much for Penny. She bit into her palm and groaned in pain.

"Foul creature!" Hector shouted, pushing Penny behind him. "What you have done and are doing is absolutely heinous! Release that child at once!"

"This child?" Sevan asked, stroking the hair of the boy in Bianca's arms. "But Bianca hasn't fed tonight. Must you deny her nourishment? Are you hungry, Bianca?"

"…Yes." Bianca slid her gaze away from Penny and looked down at the unconscious child she held. "I want to find it…but I'm so hungry…"

The fangs extended out of the vampiress's mouth and Hector surged forward. "KÖD!" he screamed, lunging at the woman.

"Hector!" Penny screamed, unable to help herself.

Before Hector could reach them, a burst of light struck Sevan. The vampire howled in pain, and the force of the blast slammed him into Bianca. The vampiress was taken off-guard, and dropped the child.

Hector scooped the little boy into his arms before he hit the ground. He quickly assessed the boy for any injuries or blood-loss and found neither. "We got him, Penny. He's going to be all right!"

"Hector."

Hector looked up as Brahm touched down on the ground beside him. The older hunter was giving him a harsh look. "Why were you conversing with vampires? You needed to focus your energy on saving the child and then destroying them."

"I know," Hector said gravely, looking over his shoulder at Penny. "But the woman…"

Bianca was kneeling over Sevan, assessing the searing wound in his side. She lifted her head and glared at them. "Why have you done this?"

"We don't need to explain ourselves to you, woman," Brahm said harshly. He raised his hand towards her. "You have suffered long enough under the influence of this vampire. I will end your suffering."

Bianca stared at him without any fear. She slowly closed her eyes and ducked her head. "You will kill me before I see my baby?"

"She's dying…she has to get out! Save her!"

Something unhinged inside of Penny. "BRAHM!" she screamed. "Don't hurt my mom!"

Brahm's face remained expressionless, but his hand flinched. "…Mom?"

"Penny—" Hector began.

Bianca suddenly lunged forward, grabbing Brahm by his wrist. With a guttural, inhuman hiss her fangs extended once more and she sank her teeth into his hand.

"O JELÄ PEJE TERÁD, EMNI!" Brahm screamed. He struck Bianca, and the vampiress flew several feet away. "Sun scorch you, woman! I will show you no mercy!"

Bianca's attack on Brahm was enough to snap Hector out of it. He shoved the unconscious child into Penny's arms and surged forward, aiming for Sevan. "Prepare to die, vampire!"

Sevan laughed, flecks of dark blood spilling over his chin. "Not quite."

There was a sudden burst of energy around Sevan. Black tentacles rose from the ground and shot towards the sky. Hector cursed violently, and jumped back. A trap!

Brahm shook out his injured hand as he raised his free one. "Fire, of pure being and light/Sear the darkness in this fight/Cleanse the area of this being/Remove it all from eyes that have seen."

Fire erupted from his hand and shot out, engulfing the tentacles that were swinging around in the air. A hideous scream of pain rattled in their ears, as though the tentacles themselves had been given life. Hector ignored the screaming, and focused on the vampire caught in the middle. He dropped to his knees and pressed his hands into the ground. "Soil of the rich earth/Feel the monster and the foulness he gave birth/Eliminate the threat to your body/Of the creature with intentions shoddy."

The earth seemed to open up beneath Sevan, latching onto his ankles like a pair of shackles. The vampire screamed—surprise? rage?—and struggled against the hold as his tentacles disintegrated all around him and he found himself at the mercy of two hunters.

Penny hung onto the child, her mind numb. It was too much…everything that was happening. She thought she was a strong person, but…

"Penny."

Penny stiffened, and she turned to look to her right. Bianca was sitting beside her. Her mother—no, no! This couldn't be her mother!

The vampiress was looking at her calmly, despite her blazing red eyes. Brahm's blood was still wet on her lips. "Penny," the vampiress repeated. "Can you take me to her?"

Penny was shaking. So much scared her, but she'd never been so terrified in her life. "Wh…What?" she asked meekly.

Bianca leaned forward. Penny hissed in alarm, but the vampiress only calmly leaned her head against Penny's shoulder. "I've never held her. I've only carried her in my womb. I've missed out on eight years of her life." She leaned back up to look at Penny. Her eyes looked like they were in pain. "Can't you take me to her? Please?"

Penny's nostrils flared, and her world fell apart. This thing…Bianca…she smelled the same. Her mother died all alone eight years ago, but Penny always remembered what she smelled like. Children often did, and a mother's scent was a source of comfort.

It wasn't enough that the vampiress had Bianca's face, her voice, and spoke about things that happened to Bianca. But this smell…there was no way Sevan could replicate a scent only a child would recognize in their mother.

"M…Mom?" Penny said very quietly. The tears welled up in her eyes once more as she regarded this woman with absolute shock. Bianca had died. Penny had felt her heart stop.

And yet Bianca was right there beside, her…as a vampiress.

Bianca smiled, and reached out. Penny flinched, but she caressed her daughter's cheek. "After everything you've done to me, Penny, you owe it to me to give me my baby."

Penny let out a painful wheezing noise, hugging the boy to her chest. "Mom…"

"Get away from her!"

Bianca withdrew from Penny then as Hector flew to his lifemate's side. The vampiress took a few steps back, until she was swept up into someone's arms.

"It's been fun," Sevan hissed at them. "But the sun will rise soon and we must get to sleep!"

"Get back here!" Brahm shouted. He was still nursing his hand and rushing forward as Sevan and Bianca disappeared. "Köd alte hän! Darkness curse it! I'll go after those creatures, and—"

"Brahm, don't risk it!" Hector warned him. "Your hand is reacting strangely to the bite! She may have poisoned you!"

Brahm glared at him. "We would've been able to take care of the both of them if your woman hadn't come running out here like that!"

"You will not speak about my lifemate like that!"

"Hector…"

Both hunters turned back to Penny. She was shaking violently, and looked incredibly pale. Hector had never seen her so emotional before. "Hector…that was my mom."

"Sívamet, it wasn't—"

"Her smell is the same," Penny shot back. "There is no way Sevan would be able to replicate her smell like that! That was MY MOM!"

Brahm slowly looked at Hector. "She…she may be right."

Hector didn't like to think about it. He grabbed Penny by her shoulders. "We don't know for sure—"

"I know," Penny sputtered. "I know it's her! I-I killed her, Hector! I cut Grace out of her body and left her to die! And Sevan…I just know his heartbeat has been stalking us all this time! He probably found her and turned her vampire with his vampire blood! Oh…" she wrung a hand through her curly. "Oh, my God. What have I done? My mom's a vampire, and she's the one who's been killing all these children! And I…if I didn't…I DID THIS TO HER!" she shrieked, hysteria bubbling to the surface.

"Penny!" Hector invaded her mind and tried to eliminate all of her negative feelings. "Penny, this isn't your fault! You didn't turn your mother into a vampire!"

"But I LEFT HER!" Penny wailed. "I left her to die while I ran away with Gracie! I left her to the mercy of that vampire! This…" she gulped and began wailing. "This is all my fault!"

Hector crushed her against him, feeling her wails against his chest. He flooded her mind with his love and comfort. "Sívamet…sívamet…please don't do this to yourself. You are not at fault for any of this. There was nothing different you could've done. If you had left your mother alone as she was, both Grace and her would've died. And her injuries were fatal. Even if you had taken her with you, she still would've died. She told you to leave her behind. You were only eighteen, Penny. There wasn't anything else you could've done."

Because he was pushing away her negative feelings, Penny's hysteria began to subside. But there was very little Hector could do about the pain in her heart. "Penny…" he kissed the top of her head. "Hän ku vigyáz sívamet és sielamet."

It was an intimate expression of his feelings Hector hadn't used before. He was taken off-guard by the feeling behind his words, even if Penny didn't really understand them. But her pain was his pain. And he couldn't stand to see her suffer endlessly like this.

"Hector."

Hector looked up to see Brahm kneeling beside him. The older hunter looked less than pleased with him, and Hector couldn't blame. His weakness to Penny's grief allowed for Sevan and…his companion to get away. "Let me see your hand," Hector said. "I can—"

"There is no infection," Brahm said, slowly leaning over to lick his wound. "I just checked my body. My hand was in pain because she bit through some nerves. I will need fresh blood, and to go to ground. Then I should be better."

Hector reluctantly let Brahm go and offered his wrist. "Take freely what I offer. It is my fault you were bitten, after all."

Brahm didn't argue with that. He quickly drank Hector's blood to help speed up the healing process. Brahm didn't look at Penny, who sat destitute on the ground. "I think…we will need reinforcements with this."

"This won't happen again, Brahm," Hector said defensively. "I wasn't expecting the vampiress to be my lifemate's mother. I think I can be forgiven for that shock."

"We must stop them quickly, before they kill anyone else," Brahm retorted. "You cannot be ruled by emotions, Hector. If we can raise another hunter to come to us, then we might get the assistance that we need."

Hector ran a hand through Penny's hair comfortingly, but his eyes were on Brahm. "You…you mentioned you fought a master vampire with three hunters not too long ago. Who were they?"

"Michelo Hexum, Gray Llawhaden…and Angel Kushnir." Brahm said the final name with a great amount of reluctance.

"Is there any way we can summon any or all of these hunters here?" Hector asked aloud.

"Gray was injured during the fight with the vampire and is resting," Brahm said, looking at their surroundings suspiciously. "When I last spoke to Michelo, he had told me something was calling him to the West, and I believe he went to Asia."

"Then how about Angel? We can—"

"No."

Hector blinked in confusion. "Why not?"

"I refuse to summon Angel to me," Brahm said harshly. "He will do more harm than good."

Hector felt a little uncomfortable. "He has turned, then?"

Brahm shook his head. "Hardly. But he is reckless and full of anger. He is…quite on the fringe, and everyone around him suffers for it. Last I spoke to him, he went south of here. I would rather not meet him again."

Hector wasn't use to a hunter whose darkness was so profound that affected his personality in such a way. Especially when he was unchanged. "But—"

"We can find better allies than him," Brahm interrupted. "Let us contact Tariq and see if they're any other hunters in the region."

Hector didn't want to argue the issue anymore. "Before we do that, let's find this child's parents and return him. After we erase his memory, of course."

"I will go to ground to finish healing," Brahm said, standing up. "Next time, make sure your woman stays put or else we'll find more trouble than biting."

"Come back to the safe house—" Hector offered.

But Brahm shook his head. "I am better off resting by myself out in the open. I will go with you when you deliver the child, and when you drop your lifemate back at the house. But I must feed one more time before resting." He looked off into the night. "The vampire is injured, and the vampiress is vulnerable without him. They will not hunt anymore tonight."

There were so many things about this that he didn't like. It was reprehensible that the vampire turned Bianca when she was so on the fringe of death. And Penny had come face-to-face with her mother.

And her vampiress mother blamed her for everything.

Erasing the boy's memory had been easy. The child had a frightening night, as Hector saw from his memories. He had gone to bed like a good boy when he heard singing outside his window. When he opened his window, Bianca was standing underneath it, singing to him hypnotically. Sevan's magic hid the blood that had splattered all over Bianca's white dress, and she glowed in the night like some sort of fairy princess.

It was absolutely vile. Hector's stomach turned as he assessed the child's memories, making absolutely certain nothing had happened to him. The child had been entranced by Bianca, and with her gentle command he climbed out of his window and went to her.

At that moment, the child's mother went to check on him in his room, and her calls to him snapped him out of it. After that it was a whirlwind of fear for the boy, as Sevan and Bianca dragged him all over the city, frightening him with their evil. But…they didn't harm him. They didn't drink his blood or infect him with parasites.

Hector wiped away all traces of the vampire. The mother had witnessed part of the kidnapping, so he instilled a memory inside the child of a stranger abducting him in a car. He was able to open the door, yes, and run out into the night. But then he got tired because he was lost and fell asleep on a park bench.

He found a human who was part of the search party looking for the boy and handed the boy over. He implanted a fake memory of the man finding the child asleep on a park bench, and the man hurried off to reunite the child with his parents.

There. That was taken care of. But it was Penny that was causing Hector the most worry. His lifemate had been silent and indifferent to everything ever since Sevan and Bianca fled. He knew that the revelation of the vampiress had shocked Penny deeply, and Hector didn't blame her. He tried to imagine himself in her shoes, and if it had been his own mother who was a vampiress. He could relate to her in that sense, in that she would ask them not to kill Bianca. Hector was certain he wouldn't act any different.

"I must go now," Brahm said as they reached the safe house. "I will feed and then track the vampire once more and choose my resting place as close to his as I can. Please contact me if anything happens."

"I will," Hector said. He knew that Brahm was angry with Penny over what happened, but Brahm didn't understand Penny's family situation. When the vampiress accused Penny of killing her own mother, Hector could feel the pain in her heart. Penny genuinely felt that she had committed a heinous crime against Bianca. He remained a constant presence in her mind, trying to drive away her pain and sadness. It worked in that she wasn't hysterical anymore, but it wasn't enough to cheer her up.

As they entered the house, Grace and Martin rushed over to them. "What happened?" Grace demanded, looking at her sister. "Are you okay, Penny?"

Penny stared at Grace in silence for several long moments. Without saying a word, she ran passed her little sister and tore upstairs.

"What happened?" Martin asked uneasily. "I-I've been hearing strange things…"

"We were unable to stop the vampire," Hector said impatiently, wanting to go to Penny's side. "Brahm was bitten, but he should be okay…"

He trailed off when he felt a tug on his arm. He looked down to see Grace staring up at him, her usual calm eyes now full of anger. "What's going on? What's wrong with my sister? Why does she look like she wants to cry?"

Hector was once again put off by Grace's lack of tact, even though it was all out of her love and concern for Penny. But looking down at Grace; this innocent child who knew nothing of danger, and had never met her mother…Hector knew that when Penny saw her sister, she felt more of the guilt for the current situation with Bianca.

And she was undoubtedly wondering how they were going to explain this to the child.

"After everything you've done to me, Penny, you owe it to me to give me my baby."

Hector froze, and stared at Grace in horror. Grace's face twisted up. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Hector knelt down and grabbed Grace by her small shoulders. "Sisar, has anyone tried to contact you? Have you heard any female voices in your head?"

Grace blinked very slowly. The anger ebbed away from her sage like eyes. "No, no one's tried to contact me. Why?"

"If anyone does," Hector said. "If a woman, or creature, or anything speaks to you claiming to be your mother, tell me immediately. Do you understand me?"

"…Sure," Grace said slowly. "But why would anyone claim to be my mother? I only have one Mom and she's dead."

Hector bit down on his lower lip before he said anything he would regret. Penny would never forgive him if he just blurted out the truth like that. "Just…keep that in mind, Grace."

"…Female voices?" Martin asked slowly. He motioned to Hector. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Fine," Hector said, releasing Grace and moving off to the side to speak with Martin privately. "What is it, human?"

Martin stared at him for a moment before he laughed lightly. "Martin is fine, Hector."

"What is it?" Hector repeated impatiently.

"A few days ago," Martin said. "When I had one of my headaches, I heard a strange voice. I'm certain it was a woman's voice, but it didn't sound human—"

Hector grabbed him by his collar. "Why didn't you tell us earlier?"

"I-I dismissed the voice as something odd," Martin stammered. "I never made the connection about it mattering to us until you asked Grace if she's heard any weird voices."

"What did the voice say?"

"I-I don't remember the whole sentence, but something about searching for a baby."

Hector delved into Martin's mind. It was a terrible risk, because he couldn't control his psychic powers. Especially since they suspected someone tampered with his memories. But Hector ignored the chaos inside Martin's head long enough to narrow in on the memory Martin had conjured up of the voice.

"...Baby. My baby. Tell me where the baby is."

Hector pulled out of his minds, the words still rattling inside of his mind. That definitely sounded the same as the vampiress they had encountered…it was Bianca's voice. It had been a fragmented message, though. Martin hadn't been the intended target of the words, but his haywire powers picked up on it anyways.

Hector slowly looked at Grace. Bianca kept asking for her baby…and she scorned Penny for 'stealing' her child. Then…was it Grace that Bianca was after?

Grace stared back at him with irritation. "I know you dismiss me as a child, and you're not going to tell me anything. But what is wrong with my sister? I have a right to know!"

Hector remembered his forlorn lifemate upstairs, and felt guilty for abandoning her in her time of need. He went back over to Grace and gave the child a quick hug. "Leave Penny to me, Grace. She had a terrible shock tonight and will need some time to adjust."

"I can help—" Grace began.

"You certainly can, but I must be the one to help her now. Trust in me, csitri."

Grace relaxed, but not very much. "I've never seen my sister look like that before, not even when we've had to flee. If you can help her…please hurry." Grace ducked her head. "She's strong for my sake, but she can't hide from me. She's been hurting for so long, and I don't want her to hurt anymore."

"She won't, Sisar," Hector promised her. "I won't stop until she's finally at peace…and the same with you."

"Martin made some food," Grace said suddenly. "Should you take her some?"

"…Not right now." Hector kissed her on the cheek and hurried upstairs to finally meet Penny.

Martin smiled at her. "You're very good to your sister, Grace."

Grace shrugged. "If I cry and complain, it won't solve anything and would just be a bother. I want this to be over with once and for all."

"I understand." But Martin was uneasy. Why did Hector want to know so much if someone contacted Grace? The woman he had heard…was she somehow after Grace?

Penny had drawn her knees up to her chest, and her back was pressed into the wall. Her forehead was resting on top of her knees. She didn't react when Hector entered the room, or when he sat down beside her on the bed. "Sívamet." He brushed a kiss across the top of her head. "I'm sorry for leaving you alone. I needed to reassure Grace."

Penny said nothing for a long moment. Hector slid into her mind as his arms slid around her, flooding her with love and comfort. "Please talk to me, päläfertiil. Do not keep this to yourself."

Penny swallowed thickly. It was so difficult to form words. Feeling Hector's presence in her mind was comforting, but it didn't do much to quell the pain in her heart. "W…When…" she finally spoke, though she didn't raise her head. "When I was younger, Mom was the most beautiful thing to me."

Hector relaxed very slightly, relieved that Penny was opening up to him on her own. He gently pulled her into his arms. "Go on."

"She was physically beautiful, but she also had beauty and kindness in her. Towards the end she began to lose it, because the stress of everything was too much for her. But…I couldn't really blame her.

"For the longest time, the last image I had of Mom in my mind was when I…" Penny turned her head into Hector's chest, and she curled her fingers into his shirt. "When I cut her open and took Grace out. She kept telling us to get away, run…but I left her there." her body began to shake as the tears came once more. "She suffered so much, and none of it was her fault! She heard my dad die! She was tortured while she was pregnant with Grace! Then I…I cut her open and left her to die! I left her to the mercy of Sevan! And he…Mom is a MONSTER now because of me! What am I going to tell Gracie? How can I ever look her in the eyes again when I've done so much damage? When I did such a thing to our own mother?"

Penny's pain radiated through Hector. He clung to her as she sobbed into his chest. He knew the feeling of loss. He'd abandoned Fatima in a crucial time, and she died because of it. So many hunters he had called friends turned vampire, and he'd been forced to kill them.

Now Bianca was a vampiress killing children. They needed to kill her, not only to keep humans safe but to end her ongoing suffering. She'd been a vampire all these years, and yet she hadn't rotted away like so many of the undead did. Sevan probably had a hand in it, but it all made no sense. Why had Sevan come after the girls? Did he genuinely believe himself to be Bianca's lifemate?

Hector looked down at Penny. Even with his comfort his lifemate was in terrible pain. He tilted her head up so that she was looking up at him. Tears were spilling out freely, and her expression was twisted in agony. He leaned down and captured her lips.

The kiss took Penny off-guard, and she didn't react for a moment. Hector buried both hands into her hair and swiftly deepened the kiss, turning her head to allow himself easier access to her mouth. She was stunned by the sudden heat that flashed through her body, overshadowing her pain. Unable to help herself she clung to him, returning the kiss enthusiastically.

It wasn't the right time. She was in pain and needed comfort. But with that simple kiss Hector was unable to hold back any longer. Longing ached through his body, and he wanted…no, needed to finally complete their ritual. He wouldn't take her blood, but her body…

He pulled Penny towards him, positioning her to straddle his lap as he broke the kiss. Penny gasped as he began kissing along her throat, not in a way to take her blood in a way that was overtly sexual. Soft noises of pleasure escaped her mouth as she slid her arms around his shoulders and simply hung on. She hadn't ever let a man touch her. She never trusted anyone enough. The grief of the reality of what happened to Bianca was too much for her, but Hector was also too much. All he had to do was kiss her, and touch her slightly, and it awakened so many unfamiliar feelings in her body. Feelings she was starting to crave.

Mindful that Grace and Martin were still in the house, Hector set out a command that they leave them alone and locked the door firmly as he pushed Penny down against the pillows. He knew he could simply think away all of her clothing and take her quickly, but he didn't want to scare her. She'd been through enough already, and what she needed was more comfort, not anything abnormal.

But she's had nothing normal in so long.

Hector took his time. He carefully removed her shirt and felt the skin underneath. It was so soft…he felt her reluctance when he reached for her bra, so he left that alone for the time being. He cupped her breasts gently in both hands while his mouth explored her abdomen, tasting her flesh in such an intimate way that made his body tighten even more with need. It was further fueled by the reactions she gave to him. The way her body twitched and arched under the newfound sensations, and the gasps and moans she made…it was too much to take.

When Hector reached for her belt, Penny's hands shot out and grabbed his wrists. "Wait."

Hector looked at her. "Do you want to stop, sívamet?" his body protested strongly of this notions, but Hector knew better than to push the matter if Penny wasn't ready.

Their minds were tightly linked. Penny was stunned by the need she felt from him. It made her intimidated and self-conscious. She didn't know what was compelling her to just go along with this. Was this because of their bond, or something deeper?

Penny swallowed thickly, and released his hands. "…No."

Hector gave her a reassuring smile, and carefully removed the rest of her clothing. With her pants gone, Penny was less self-conscious about her bra and Hector was able to ask it off, leaving his lifemate naked before him for the very first time. He sucked in a sharp breath as he took in her beauty. She was everything he could ever imagine and much more. And she was his…

Hector quickly thought away his own clothing, but Penny quickly sat up as he became abruptly naked before her. "H-Hector!"

"Don't fear me, Penny. I won't hurt you." Hector gently took her hands and pressed them against his bare chest. "Touch me, sívamet. Know my body as you rightfully should."

And he would know hers. Penny's hands shook against his unyielding chest, and her breathing was a little ragged. Slowly…slowly she calmed down. Hector could feel her heartbeat steady and he slowly let go of her hands. And Penny didn't pull them away.

She looked him over, impressed with his physique. Seeing him like this continued to stir so many things inside her. She leaned forward until her forehead touched his shoulders. Then her hands slid down, over his nipples and the ridges of his toned abdomen, and slid around to his back where she clung to him tightly.

He was moved by her sincerity, even while his body burned from her simple caresses. He cupped her face in his hands and captured her mouth once more, relaying his desire and feelings for her as he possessed her mouth, and eased her back down on the bed.

He had wanted to soothe and comfort her, but he couldn't deny the desire in his body. He kissed her mouth hard and swiftly, leaving her gasping for breath when he pulled away. He pressed gentle kisses onto her face, wiping away her tears with his mouth. The saltiness stuck to his tongue, though it pained him to see her cry. His hands roamed her body freely, cupping her now bare breasts and gently kneading her nipples. Short, gasping noises vibrated at his ear, reminding him that no one had touched her body and everything was so new to her. He was eager to show her more.

Penny arched her head, unable to silence herself as Hector slid down, tongue circling her areola before engulfing her nipple in his mouth. A sharp, pleasant sensation shot through her and she let out a soft cry, digging her fingernails into his shoulders.

Hector felt his teeth begin to extend, as the desire to claim and turn her fully coupled that with wanting to make love to her. But he didn't have her permission with that, and he wasn't going to force it on her now. Reluctantly he lifted his head from her breast and kissed her once more, as one of his hand slid downwards, up one bare leg to the knee, and back in again with the fingers curling around her inner thigh.

Penny was startled at the first contact of his fingers with her most intimate part, but Hector's breath was at her ear, gently kissing her and coaxing her as his fingers were. She closed her eyes, but she couldn't ignore their movements. And she found she didn't want to. She moaned, quietly at first but then with increasing volume, as a pleasant heat began to form in her abdomen. His breathing grew ragged with hers as he encouraged her, and his hand moved faster. Her hips lifted off the bed slightly and she shook as a sharp pleasure rocked her body. She cried out, trembling as she climaxed under his touch.

Seeing her beautiful face twisted in ecstasy was too much for Hector. He withdrew his hand from her and leaned over her. "Are you ready, päläfertiil?"

Penny slowly opened her eyes as her world came back into focus once more. She focused on Hector, and the lust simmering in his dark eyes. She knew what was coming next, and she was afraid. But, she nodded as she held his gaze. "…Yes."

"I will be careful." He gave her the added reassurance as he opened her body to him. One leg was draped over his arm as he hunched over her body. His eyes were on her face as he leaned in. Hunger was beating at him, but he didn't thirst for blood. He was finally going to be able to complete their lifemate ritual, and be bound in body to Penny as they already were in spirit. It almost didn't seem real to him.

The first touch of him to her almost made Penny jump out of her skin. She arched involuntarily as he began to push inside her body. She made a sharp intake of breath as the searing pain that accompanied it, but she knew it was coming. The pain could hardly compare to everything else that had happened to her, but it felt so deep inside her being. She bit on her lip and clung to Hector as became nestled inside her.

Hector kissed her mouth, loosening the hold of her teeth on her lip as he coaxed her to relax. After a moment, he began to move. Burying one hand in her hair while the other held her leg steady, he started slowly to help her adjust to him. But the feeling of their union was more profound than their physical joining. He could almost feel every cell in his body aching and reaching for Penny. It was a desire he couldn't deny and he picked up momentum.

The pain became a distant memory very quickly. Penny was taken off-guard by the sensation rocking her body. She hung onto Hector tightly, as though she had no other lifeline to hang onto. He was moving over her so fast, and her body began to burn so erotically…she was so new to it, but she was adapting to it quickly too.

Hector groaned throatily in her ear, and kissed her cheek and her lips. She was exquisite…everything he wanted. He had lived so long without a connection to anybody or anything, but now he had it with this precious woman. As he mouth moved over hers once more, he could feel it; the ritual words resurfaced to him as they had when he first gave her blood.

"Te avio päläfertiilam." Hector had spoken these words before, but they poured out of him. "Éntölam kuulua, avio päläfertiilam. Ted kuuluak, kacad, kojed. Élidamet andam. Pesämet andam. Uskolfertiilamet andam. Sívamet andam. Sielamet andam." He continued to move against her body, feeling the fire inside of him to possess her fully. "Ainamet andam. Sívamet kuuluak kaik että a ted."

The words were having a profound effect on Penny. Her body tingled sharply from where they were joined, but her mind was soft and muddled from the force of his words. "Ainaak olenszal sívambin. Te élidet ainaak pide minan. Te avio päläfertiilam. Ainaak sívamet jutta oleny. Ainaak terád vigyázak."

The heat broke through her once more and she almost screamed as she orgasm again, her body trembling against his. She squeezed around him and Hector hissed as his own release snapped through him like a whip.

Gasping for air, they collapsed back onto the bed. Hector pulled Penny into his arms as she breathed heavily against his cheek. He kissed her and flooded her mind again with his love and comfort as a satisfying drowsiness overtook them both. Their problems were far from solved. They had Greene and his Morrison associates to deal with, in addition to Sevan and Bianca. Bianca couldn't be saved as she was unless they killed her, and he knew this hurt Penny deeply.

But…but he was there. He was there with her and they'd finally completed the ritual. They were bound together closer than they had been before.