A/n: I just want to thank everyone for their wonderful reviews and support. This chapter is dedicated to all the Loons and their convincing me to come over to the dark side ;-). I especially wanted to say thank you to Maestra and LadyNiko for pestering me to get my chapters posted sooner. I am doing the best I can; though I know you ladies couldn't wait for me to update. I also wanted to give it up in a major way for Sherrilyn Kenyon. She is a wonderful writer; her books are fun, imaginative and give me hours of escape from reality, which is always a wonderful thing. It isn't hard to write fanfic based on characters you love and give you so much to work with. So, I'd like to thank Sherri and Steven Long Mitchell/Craig W. Van Sickle for their creativity. Wouldn't be writing this w/o them.
Also, I had to tone this chapter down a lot for ff.net. So there is another version of this chapter that I plan to post in its entirety someplace that accepts NC-17, which is what, I am told my chapter has rated LOL. Plus, I took out so much, that some places later in the chapter refer to stuff that happened during the scene I cut out. For instance, I have renamed Miss Parker for my fic, Ayngil, which Jarod calls her by her first name in the scene I took out. Be forewarned, but enjoy!
Disclaimer: The Pretender characters are owned by their respective owners, respectively. The DH characters are owned by Sherrilyn Kenyon, respectively. I own nothing, respectively. (So please don't sue wittle ole me, respectfully LOL)
This chapter's song is called "Let's Make Love" by Faith Hill with Tim McGraw ©1999
Synopsis: Jarod and Miss Parker have finally been forced together, alone. I thought the following song extremely apropos. This ones rated R folks.
Let's Make Love
Baby I've been drifting away
Dreaming all day
Of holding you
Touching you
The only thing I want to do
Is be with you
As close to you
As I can be
Let's make love
All night long
Until all our strength is gone
Hold on tight
Just let go
I want to feel you in my soul
Until the sun comes up
Let's make love
Oh, baby
Do you know what you do to me
Everything inside of me
Is wanting you
And needing you
I'm so in love with you
Look in my eyes
Let's get lost tonight
In each other
Let's make love
All night long
until all our strength is gone
Hold on tight
Just let go
I want to feel you in my soul
until the sun comes up
let's make love
Let's make love
All night long
until all our strength is gone
Hold on tight
Just let go
I want to feel you in my soul
until the sun comes up
Oh, until the sun comes up
let's make love
Oh baby, let's make love
All night long
All night long
Let's make love
*******
Jarod chuckled, his body vibrating against Parker's in such a pleasant way, that she shivered. This was right. Everything about this moment in time, Jarod, her, even the damned dusty futon; it was perfect.
Afraid that she would awaken in a bed somewhere alone, Parker began to pull the black shirt from Jarod's pants. For the first time, she noticed that almost everything he was wearing was leather. His pants were so soft and rich against her bare legs, the jacket he still wore, it was stiff, hard, but no less smooth against the tips of her fingers. It delighted her, the smell of him, how it overwhelmed her in this moment.
Leather and Jarod.
She grinned, as she slipped his jacket from his shoulders and he helped her shrug it off his arms. He sat up, straddling her waist now, and stripped the shirt from his upper body. Parker's mouth watered. She'd seen his bared torso before, but Ye Gods, he was certainly much more hardened than ever before. Secretly, Parker had always loved Jarod's body, he'd always been in wonderful shape, but every toned ripple, every hard ridge was more so than she ever remembered.
Lazily, she eyed his pectorals, his biceps, then his abs. She started, noting the strange tattoo he'd gotten there from the last time she'd seen him. It was of a double bow and arrow, strangely familiar, but Parker dismissed it. There were other, more pressing things to concern herself with.
She glanced at his face. He was grinning wickedly. But no matter how naughty and devilish he looked, there was still that small bit of innocence he would always possess, the wonderment as he gazed at her, awed that they were finally together after all they'd been through. She saw all of it in his black eyes. She knew it, with all of her being that it was what he was feeling, as if her inner sense allowed her to feel it as Jarod felt it.
Slowly, Jarod leaned down again, his hands caressing the flimsy bit of lace and spandex that made up her black bra. He frowned a moment as he caught sight of her too flat stomach, and concern for her flitted across his expression. It was gone a moment later as his lips brushed against her neck, he nuzzled the warm skin there, his tongue swirled it, licking and tasting the sweetly salted flesh that throbbed with her pulse. His teeth grazed her skin, causing her to break out in goose bumps. He nipped her again and Parker sighed in utter bliss.
For this moment, she forgot who she was, what she was and who the man on top of her was, what he was. They were merely man and woman, doing what men and women have done since time immemorial. Make love.
------------------------------interrupted transmission-------------------------------
It was awhile before either of them dared to move. Finally, Jarod kissed her forehead. She wrapped her arms around him as he settled himself lying on his side next to her and half on top of her. His leather jacket served as a blanket as they both drifted off to sleep.
*******
No one had ever known what the Triumvirate was. Everyone always assumed they were in Africa, but that was merely a clever ruse. They were three of the oldest survivors. Only because they were careful of the Dark-Hunters, especially Acheron Parthenopaeus, who had been hunting them for aeons.
The time had come for them to finally take their place among the Parthenon. They had bided their time until Jarod was ready, but now, they would reap the fruits of their labor.
She smiled, allowing the mortals who served her to see her fangs. They all shivered in fear of her. She took delight in their terror, since they all knew that one of them was to be her meal. Mr. Parker's brats had gotten in her way one too many times, and now she would kill them.
Once she had Jarod, there would be no turning back. Nothing would stop them. Nothing, not even the Atlantean.
*******
When Parker opened her eyes, she knew that the sun had risen. She sat up quickly, realizing that she was still very nude and as memories of the night before came crashing back; she remembered that she now only had her silk shirt and underwear to cover herself with. Feeling a bit out of sorts as heat stole up her cheeks; she saw a dark shadow standing off in one of the corners of the one room cabin and knew it was Jarod watching her.
"Good morning," Jarod murmured, his voice rough and deep in the stillness. It made her think something was wrong, that what had happened last night had been a horrible mistake. Her heart sank.
Without answering him, she stood up and began gathering her clothing—well at least the items she could still wear—and began walking over to the door she noted on her way in the night before. Even some backwoods Cajun hick would need to have a bathroom, and since it seemed to be the most obvious choice, she marched over to it without a backward glance, afraid that if she did, her heart would break into a million pieces and she would never get them back.
As Jarod had so eloquently put it after Tommy's death, her heart was missing pieces of it. She still had the stained glass he'd made for her. If she looked back and saw regret or disgust on Jarod's face now, she would never recover from it.
"Parker?" Jarod's muffled voice sounded from the other side of the wooden door, "Are you alright?"
Without thinking, Parker pulled on her clothing, her long legs completely bared. Looking up, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and saw only herself. There was no one in that mirror but the true Ayngil Parker that kept herself hidden behind dark make-up and snarled comments. There was no mask to hide behind, nothing. Her face crumpled, tears poured down her cheeks.
Jarod was the only person left in this world who could destroy her. She looked stunned and bewildered as she thought about why he'd been standing in a darkened corner, instead of kissing her awake as she'd always imagined Jarod would do. It left her feeling vulnerable and scared that he regretted everything they'd done and shared.
She just couldn't bare that.
"C'mon Parker, open the door," Jarod's voice urged her once more, this time more insistent.
She grimaced, knowing she would have to get a grip on her emotions before she faced that man out there. As much as she cared for him, she just couldn't be that open with him. Not yet. Not until she knew for certain she could trust him.
******
Jarod paced in front of the door to the bathroom, feeling trapped and wishing he could leave and be free. He'd take Parker down to the Quarter and show her all the sights, the joys. She would love the coffee and beignets, the music; he could see her hips swaying to the beat, her body graceful and rhythmic.
Grinding his teeth in frustration, Jarod began pounding on the door, hoping Parker would come out. He'd known something was up the moment she seen him standing in the corner. Damn, he knew exactly what path her mind had taken, but he refused to explain to her why he was standing alone in that corner through the door.
He was a Dark-Hunter, and the Gods knew how many rules he'd broken last night by showing himself to Parker, kidnapping her and then sleeping with her. He'd done it, he didn't regret it, but he sure as Tartarus was going to pay for it. T-Rex would know somehow, thanks to his own freaky powers, and Jarod would be called on the carpet like a wayward child. Again.
"Parker, we need to talk," Jarod tried again, trying to keep his temper in check. Ever since he'd become a Dark-Hunter, he could no longer keep a level head. He was as hot-blooded and rash as the rest of the Hunters, but he had found he rather enjoyed giving free reign to his emotions.
To his surprise, the door opened and Parker stepped out, her silk shirt rumpled and her lavender underwear peeping out beneath. She barely glanced over at him as she swept passed him, "There's nothing to talk about," she told him.
Irritated, Jarod glanced heavenward and expelled a sigh, "I know what you're thinking, Parker—" he began, hoping to explain himself to her, but she whirled on him so fast, her blue eyes blazing, and Jarod was surprised enough that all he did was step back.
"Don't even think you can pretend to know what I think or feel or want, Jarod, because you don't know me half as well as you think you do," she snarled at him.
Before he even knew what he was doing, Jarod stalked forward, he wasn't wearing a shirt, only his leather pants, his hair hung down around his face and neck, disheveled from her running her fingers through it last night, his black eyes burned angrily. Parker could only back away from him as he advanced on her, grabbed her upper arms roughly and shoved her backwards until her calves hit the futon and she stumbled and fell backwards, landing on the couch.
"Let's get one thing straight, Parker. I know you. If you'll remember, I am a Pretender; I can be anything I want to be. I didn't ask for it, but I got it anyway. It's why I've never had a moment's peace in my entire life. It's why my life has never been my own, nor will it ever be again," he leaned over her, his knee resting on the mattress between her legs and his arms resting against the back of the futon, imprisoning her.
"I can't help but know you," he snarled at her quietly, "You won't get out of my head, Parker. From the moment I saw you, I knew you. You were my playmate, then when you went away, I dreamed of you every night. After I escaped, you hunted me. You, my beautiful Parker, haunt me," he whispered the moment before his head dipped again, to sample her lips.
She was shocked. But it was what she'd been dying to know, and why she'd retreated into herself again. Her arms wrapped around Jarod's neck and she clung to him, feeling more vulnerable than ever. It was such a relief to let Jarod control this moment. She rather liked this new, darker side to him. He knew what he wanted, and he went after it consequences damned. She sighed and allowed Jarod's mouth to carry her away.
The moment his lips had touched hers, devoid of any make-up, he'd been lost. She looked so much younger now, more like the girl he'd always known. He saw the emotions flit across her face, whereas her heavy make-up had always made him think she used it to mask herself from the world. He groaned and buried his hands in her hair, knowing it would be hours before he could leave the cabin. What better way to amuse themselves?
Jarod's cell phone rang.
Cursing under his breath, Jarod pulled away from Parker and dug it out of his jacket which was lying haphazardly on the floor next to Parker's torn skirt.
"What?" he demanded into the phone, irritated by the interruption,
There was an all too familiar tsk, "I swear, you and Kyrian are the only guys I know that can spend an entire night with a woman and still act like an asshole the next morning, good morning sunshine," Nick laughed.
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Jarod growled, "This better be good gator bait."
"Oh it is," Nick assured him.
Jarod waited a few moments before snapping, "What, suddenly you've taken a vow of silence?"
"No, I just wanted you to sweat it out for a bit," Nick was grinning madly, enjoying this, Jarod knew.
"I just got this from Dark-Hunter.com that Ash is on his way down here, he knows about your girlfriend and whatever else is going on. He's pissed. He hasn't been this upset since his brother tried to kill him last Mardi Gras."
Grinding his teeth, Jarod swore loudly, "Great, that's all I need is him and Lyle in the same town to screw with me. Why do the Fates do this to me?" he muttered, trying to come up with a plan to not only get Ash off his back, but have his revenge against Lyle too.
Suddenly, he remembered Parker was sitting there, listening to his conversation. Damn, he had to get her away from him quick, or the Gods knew she would demand to be a part of whatever it was he was doing. He still wasn't certain where her loyalties would lie if he went after her brother again. Parker wasn't stupid, so he knew exposing her to the Dark-Hunter world and trying to lie to her about it would be a big mistake. He would have to leave her somewhere safe for now.
Then he realized what he was thinking. For now implied he would be coming back for her, and he couldn't. His Dark-Hunter oath forbade him to be with her again. Hell, he was breaking his oath being with her at all, but he would gladly accept whatever punishment Artemis dealt out to him for his slip, else he would be kicking himself for all eternity.
"All right, as soon as I can, I'll head back into town," Jarod paused, hating himself for what he needed to do, "And Nick, call Kyrian." Jarod lowered his voice, "Tell him that someone from my past has come back into my life. He'll know what to do."
For once, Nick was wise enough not to make any smartass comments, "I understand," was all he said before hanging up.
Turning back to Parker, who was eyeing him suspiciously, Jarod knew that she was about to start asking question of him. Questions he couldn't answer, and he knew better than anyone how dangerous Parker was when she didn't get her way.
