Although she couldn't deny that her tryst with Elijah had been one of the most amazing things she'd ever experienced, after it happened, Amy felt some guilt. Even though she'd announced an informal separation from Klaus, she was still technically his wife, which meant that she had gone to bed with her brother-in-law, who was also technically still married. It really made her feel shame, even though she knew she hadn't done anything wrong. To try and calm her nerves, she went and got herself some tea, making her way out of the kitchen when Elijah came in.

"Hey," he smiled and gently took her in his arms from behind. "Would you like me to move some of your things into my room? After what we did last night, I think it might be nice. What do you say?"

She turned around and gasped. He looked only half awake, his hair sticking up at odd angles. He wore nothing but jeans and was barefoot. "Well, this is a new look," she remarked. "I like it."

He still said nothing, watching her intently, which unnerved her a little, cause she could feel his gaze boring into her back, even though she wasn't looking at him. She knew he was waiting for an answer, but she didn't know what to tell him. "Can I get you some tea?" She asked, moving his hands and walking toward the counter.

"No, thank you, I'm fine," he shook his head. "Now, about what I just asked you…"

"I don't know if I can," Amy shook her head, glad he couldn't see her blush. "I mean, I enjoy what we did, but…should we make a habit of it? Is it wrong? I'm starting to feel ashamed."

He grabbed her and spun her around so that she was looking into his eyes with such suddenness that the teacup she'd held went flying and smashed on the floor.

"Oh, sorry," she apologized. "Let me clean that up. You wouldn't want to step on the shards and hurt yourself."

"You don't have to do that," he told her firmly, his eyes full of the same intense passion they'd had the night before. "Don't feel ashamed. You didn't do anything wrong. Please don't."

"But your brother…" Amy got out.

"Who cares about my brother!" Elijah burst out. "If our relationships with Niklaus and Selina taught us anything, it should be that there is no harm in thinking about ourselves sometimes and that's the way to go if we expect to stay in a relationship at all."

"What, I…" Amy was still dazed as he pulled her to himself and kissed her soundly.

"This is nuts!" She said, looking shocked as they pulled apart. "I-I can't! It's so inconsiderate!"

"Of Klaus?" Elijah asked. "What did he do in your relationship to merit such loyalty and consideration? You gave and you gave, but you never got anything in return. Now it's time, don't you think? You deserve it."

Amy ran her hands down his bare chest and gave what he said some thought. And he wasn't wrong. The whole reason why she'd left was because Klaus had put her through one horrifying episode too many and she'd had enough. Why was she going against that now?

She stepped back and held out the hand that had her wedding ring on it to Elijah. "Take it off," she said. "I don't think I need it anymore."

As Elijah slid the ring off her finger, his breathing picked up as he stared at it, unblinking. It was as if he were removing her blouse or her skirt. When it was off, he stared at it, then put it on the counter. There," he said. "That's over with."

"Yes," she nodded and kissed his cheek after throwing her arms around his neck. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Elijah replied.

"I think…I think this deserves a drink, don't you?" Amy asked.

"Yes," Elijah grinned. "Champagne? Perfect for the evening, I would say. And let's drink it outside."

Amy looked him over. "I assume you want to go change first? Or at least put on shoes?"

"No, I don't think so," Elijah shook his head. "It's a warm night. I won't freeze or anything."

Amy put a hand on his forehead. "What happened to you? Are you sick? You're acting completely differently. Do you realize that?"

"Yes, I do," Elijah nodded. "And I…I can't explain why. It's as if, with Selina gone, a huge weight has been lifted off my chest. Don't get me wrong: she's a darling woman and I loved her, but…the stress of having to make sure she stayed someone I could allow myself to like without compromising my morals…it was a stressful thing and not good for either of us."

"Yeah," Amy nodded. "I know what you mean. I feel the same way without Klaus. It was as if our whole relationship was about me making sure he didn't go too far off the deep end. And that didn't leave a lot of time for real conversation or genuine love and connection. Sure there were times we had that, but…not enough." She reached out and ran the back of her hand down Elijah's cheek and he grabbed it and kissed the palm before she took his face in her hands and kissed him deeply. "Are we still going to have that drink outside?" She asked.

"Of course," Elijah nodded, pouring wine in two glasses. They each took one and held hands with their free hand, then went out onto the deck, slowly drinking their drinks and looking at the stars without saying a word as his hand continued to clutch hers.

When they got inside and the door was shut behind them, without any further ceremony, Amy grabbed Elijah and kissed him, reaching up to ruffle his hair with her free hand, just to see what he would do.

He gave her a severe look, grabbed her wrist, and leaned forward so their lips were nearly touching. "Did you just tousle my hair?" He whispered.

"Yeah," Amy nodded. "What are you gonna do about it?"

"Well, let me show you," Elijah replied, giving her a couple of spankings before picking her up and carrying her to his bedroom. He lay her down on his bed and climbed in beside her as she quickly undressed and he did likewise.

"Oh, it seems I'll be learning my lesson naked," Amy remarked.

"Yes," Elijah nodded, grabbing her and kissing her everywhere he could get his lips on in a very hungry way. "Yes, you will!" He then pushed her back down onto the mattress, stared at her for a second, then ran his finger down her neck and whispered, "Do you trust me? I won't take much."

"Yes," Amy nodded in a breathy voice. "Did you forget to feed today?"

"Yes," Elijah nodded, then grabbed her and gently bit her, getting hard as she moaned his name while he licked the extra blood off her neck and buried himself inside her.

When Dorian's next gift didn't come in a timely manner, Selina didn't know whether to be relieved or upset. She called him and said, "Do I still have a present coming? Not that I think I'm entitled to it or anything, but…you're usually so prompt with your presents!"

"I decided not to send it," Dorian told her.

"You didn't?" Selina asked. "Did I do something wrong?" The thought that she may have displeased him somehow was a little distressing. "Are you just gonna give my presents away?"

"No, angel, I'm not," he said. "I'm going to bring them to you. I know we said a month, but who are we kidding? You know and I know that we're just waiting for something we already know the answer to." He paused and lowered his voice to the intimate timbre that made her tingle. "You know I'm right, don't you?"

"Well…" Selina was shocked. She'd known this day was coming, but now that it was here, she didn't know what to say. "You're gonna come for me?" She asked.

"Not yet," Dorian said. "I just want to talk a little first. Give you more relief with the sound of my voice, since I can do that now."

"Oh, shut up!" Selina blushed. "Don't you tease me!"

"I think it's adorable," he told her. "I'm not making fun. Now, where should we start? How about you get on the bed? Well, first, I think I'll undress. I do better with things like this when I'm not wearing anything."

"What?" Selina asked.

"I'm taking my pants off!" He told her. "You get undressed too. And don't forget to get on the bed!"

He was taking his pants off. The very thought made her head spin. He probably didn't even wear underwear.

"Are you on the bed?" Came his voice.

"Yes, I'm getting there!" Selina assured him. She got on the bed and positioned herself. "I'm taking off my shirt too. And my bra. And my skirt…"

"What sort of underwear are you wearing?" He asked. "Tiny ones? Black lace?"

"Red bikini panties," she told him.

"Well, don't take them off yet," he told her. "Let's start with something familiar. Reach under your panties and touch yourself. Rub yourself really good. Don't hold back."

"Oh," Selina moaned as she did just that. "Don't stop talking and it will be easy! Damn this feels good!"

"How good?" Dorian asked. "Not good enough that you have no use for me."

"Oh, not that good!" Selina assured him. "But good enough to last me until I see you again, anyway."

"Well, that's a relief," Dorian told her. Then he cleared his throat and continued. "Run your hands over your body. Don't miss a spot. And tell me where you're touching."

When she rubbed her inner thighs, she felt a tiny tingle, as well as a pleasant pain when she gently squeezed her nipple.

"Feeling better?" Dorian asked, making note that it wasn't only when he touched her that she was a noisy person.

"Yes, very much, thank you," she assured him. Then she sat up and tried to calm her breathing. "Anything I can do for you? Do you need relief, Dorian?"

It was the first time she'd called him by his name, and not by the formal 'Mr. Gray'. Could this be the first step toward no longer keeping him at a distance? He wondered. "Yes," he told her. "As you can imagine, I do. I was wondering if you'd be so kind as to help me with that."

"Sure," Selina replied. "How do I do that?"

"Oh, I think you know," Dorian told her. "Say my name again. Say what you know I want to hear. Even if, in your heart of hearts, you don't yet mean it. Because you will someday."

So she did, repeating his name over and over until she heard him climax. "Really? That's all it takes?" She asked.

"Yes," he told her.

"The dream I had…I was a wolf," she said. "I was running around at night and I…I found you in the woods. You were killing a man. You stroked me, slowly, gently, over and over. You asked me if I wanted to have my turn with your victim. I did. When he was dead, you turned into a big hairy beast with red eyes. We ran around, just the two of us, in the moonlight and before I knew it, we were both naked on the forest floor. I was on my back, you were on your knees, looming over me and looking deep into my eyes. As I stared back, I felt was drowning in that gaze. Then, you took me in your arms and tried to kiss me.

"And did you let me?" Dorian asked, sounding spellbound. "I hope you did."

"I-I pulled back at first, cause I was covered with blood from the kill and I thought you wouldn't like that. But you didn't care. You…you licked the blood off my mouth and then we were kissing and you were holding me close, burying yourself inside me over and over as I called out your name…"

She heard moans on the other end of the line. "And did you…did you like that?" Dorian asked, sounding like he was struggling to catch a breath. "Did you like having me inside of you?"

"Yes," Selina nodded as he let out a cry on the other end of the line. "If that's how it felt in the dream, I can't wait to find out how it will feel in real life."

"Well, that shouldn't be a problem," Dorian assured her as she heard a knock on her bedroom door.

Selina put on a robe and went to answer the knock. It was Roxie again, with a box that had been opened. "What's that?" She asked. "Is that for me?"

"Yes, more presents for you, milady," Roxie gave a little curtsy and a wink as she handed her mother the box and scurried off.

"Roxie brought me a box," Selina told Dorian. "Is it from you?"

"Yes," Dorian replied. "Just a few things I would like you to wear when my chauffeur comes to bring you home."

"And how long do I have until that happens?" Selina asked. "I need time to pack and all."

"Oh, you shouldn't," Dorian told her. "I got you a whole new wardrobe that's waiting in the closet at my penthouse, but I suppose if you feel you need to bring a few things…a couple of hours?"

"All right," Selina nodded. "And I obviously don't need to tell you where I should be picked up. See you soon." She paused. "Actually, can we make it tomorrow? If we make it tomorrow, I'll be totally ready."

There was a weary sigh. "All right, goodbye, my love," Dorian told her.

"Goodbye, Dorian," Selina answered back. She then thought that she should have said something more affectionate, but he didn't seem to mind, since the sound of her saying his name actually aroused him. She opened the box and found a black dress with off the shoulder sleeves in black lace and two pairs of shoes: one pair of silver high heels and one pair of silver ballet flats with ribbons on the toes. One of the heels had a note in it: choose wisely, I don't want you to fall, and I know you have a tendency to do that with me. :) I know you have an issue with accepting things from people, but I hope you like all of this. I saw it and I couldn't resist. I hope you don't mind dressing up on occasion because I have a very romantic dinner set up for when you arrive. Don't worry, I'll be dressed up too, and wearing my cologne that you love so much. Don't forget to put some of yours on. I know this is sudden, but I really think we're doing something we won't regret. I want you near me, and not just because I picture making love to you every time I close my eyes. See you soon.

Dorian

"Ha ha, very funny, Mr. Gray," Selina whispered. But he had a point. She decided to play it safe and wear the flats with the dress. Then she gasped when she reached the bottom of the box, finding not only teddies in several colors, but also multiple pairs of French underwear, and even a thong or two. "Guess he didn't want me to be short on underwear," she whispered and rolled her eyes. "How thoughtful of him.

Having a pretty good idea of what his plans would be when she arrived at his apartment, she tried on a pair of tiny black lace panties with ribbons on them, the dress, and the flats. All easy to slide off, which she knew would be a very good thing. She also put up her hair in case he was one of those people that got a thrill from taking it down and playing with it, then packed and, after changing so the dress wouldn't be too wrinkly before tomorrow, went to tell Roxie and Vince what was going on and thanking them for their help.

"So you're actually gonna go?" Roxie asked. "Good for you, Mom. I'm proud. You're being impulsive."

"I really don't think I am, this time," Selina shook her head. "I know it might seem like it, but I think it will be okay."

Lilith was roused from sleep by a very insistent doorbell in the middle of the night. "What is wrong with people?" She grouched, her demon face appearing for a moment. She got out of bed and put on slippers and a robe, then went down to the front door.

"All right, shut up, I hear you!" She called. "And if you think you can just ring that damn bell and wake me up, I oughta punch you in the-"

She was cut off as the ringing stopped and the door opened to reveal Caleb.

"Sorry," he apologized. "I had no idea the door was unlocked or I wouldn't have rung the bell. You really should lock it at night you know."

"Or what?" Lilith asked. "What could happen?"

He smiled, came toward her, and took her in his arms. "Men who miss you and want to kiss you really bad could just come striding in here and do that," he said just before his lips touched hers and he pulled her close.

"Well," Lilith smiled when they pulled apart for just a moment. "If that's the worst danger out there. I'm gonna keep my door unlocked more often."

"At least for me, anyway," Caleb agreed. He let her lead him to her bedroom where they undressed and began kissing furiously after falling back on Lilith's bed. Then Caleb smirked. "I don't know if we should do this," he told her as he played with her hair. "You said you were too tired…"

"Hey!" Lilith growled, her face changing for a moment. "Don't you dare!" She then took a deep breath. "Sorry. You saw the face, didn't you? I bet that spoiled the mood."

"No," Caleb took her face in his hands. "I don't think it spoiled the mood at all. I think you're beautiful." He kissed her and she smiled and blushed.

"Thanks for coming," she told him. "It's nice after all the worrying I've done about Sophia and Eric. He lets her call sometimes. Or even if he doesn't let her, she does anyway."

"Well, that's great to know!" Caleb replied. "I'll be sure and tell Jill because she's understandably very freaked out."

"Yeah," Lilith nodded, "I bet she is."

"But enough about that," Caleb hopped off the bed. "You got any candles around? Or any way to get soft lighting? Cause I think we need soft lighting."

He couldn't find any candles, so he just zapped up a few flashlights and put them on a dim setting. "I hope that's good enough," he remarked.

"Oh, it's great," Lilith replied. "It's sweet you're trying to come up with atmosphere."

"I try," Caleb told her and then got into bed with her, pulling her close. They kissed and when they pulled apart, she said, "You're about to have sex with a demon. Remember that."

"Well, you might be a demon," Caleb replied. "But you're also one of the most worthwhile people I've ever met, and you're pretty and you're sweet, and I don't give a fuck about anything else."

"Thank you," Lilith told him, her eyes wet. "You…I don't know if you know how happy I am to hear you say that."

"I think I do," he told her, wiping her eyes and lying her down on the mattress. "That's exactly why I said it. I believe I love you, Lilith."

"I love you too," Lilith replied as she put her arms around him and he buried himself inside her and kissed her neck. "I really do."