Author's Note

I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. I know I'm behind on the update and so many of y'all have been great with the personal emails. I haven't been up to writing the past 2 days because my grandma had a pin-stroke and was hospitalized. She's out now, and recovering at home. I'm praying her strength returns swiftly. On a brighter note, I saw Blade: Trinity again and my inspiration to write came back. I apologize profusely for those who waited. Thanks for your patience. So, I give you…

Chapter 5: The Explanation

My consciousness pulled at my mind until it forced my eyes to open. I went to shift my position when I felt fingertips slide down my naked spine. King's scruffy beard scratched my shoulder blades as he placed a kiss on my back, tickling my skin.

"Mornin'"

My voice was muffled by the pillow. My body had a new kind of soreness to it, but remembering the events of last night, the pain was welcomed. King stretched as far as his body would allow and he let out a satisfied groan. I picked my head up to look at him to find him smiling deliriously like a little kid.

"Somebody's got sexy shag hair…"

He moved the hair out of my eyes and ran a finger down my neck, then stopped and winced with a sharp intake of breath.

"Ooh…I'm sorry Abby."

I felt the pressure of his fingertips on my shoulder where he bit me last night. In its place was a row of teeth marks and dried blood with a purple and blue bruise forming around the edges.

"I didn't mean to get so rough."

"Well it's not me that looks like they've been in a cat fight…"

"Who won…me or the cat?"

I moved to get out of the bed and he held me in place. I leaned down and kissed him on the forehead and got up tossing on one of his stray shirts.

"…I won"

"Why is it that even though I'm a Walking Orgasm…"

"…self acclaimed…"

He shot me a look of mock hurt, and I smiled innocently. He points to himself.

"As I was saying…me…Walking Orgasm and yet you wear my clothes and they look better on you than they do on me. How is that?"

I just shrugged my shoulders.

"Because you definitely look better without clothes."

I walked into the bathroom before his ego could grow any bigger. I took a chance look at myself in the mirror and my mouth dropped open. Covering my neck, breastbone, wrists, and both hipbones were reddish-purple hickies in the shape of King's mouth.

"I got excited…"

He entered the bathroom behind me chuckling low in his throat. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me to him. I smiled, leaning back.

"I see that. Did you check your back?"

At that point he turned around and whistled at the damage. He made a claw with his hand and swiped at me growling like a cat. I laughed and he resumed his position behind me, dropping a kiss on my shoulder.

"So what are we going to do?"

"We aren't doing anything. It's 5 in the afternoon, so you are going to check on Zoë and I am going to get in the shower."

He looked at me shocked and then pouted. I just pointed to the door.

"Out…"

He walked dejectedly to the door with his shoulders slumped. I almost felt bad…almost. So I slapped him on the butt.

"I promise to be naughty if you do that again…"

I laughed and shoved him out the door. But not before he could turn around and plant a good promising kiss on my lips.

"Think about that…"

With that said he shut the door and I turned the shower on. The heat was very welcoming to my body even though my shoulder stung. I just let the water run across my back for a long while before I lathered up my hair with shampoo and then conditioner. I could feel King's lingering presence upon me even though he went downstairs. It was that kiss…damn that man for screaming 'fuck me' the way he does. He felt so good. I ran my hands over my skin where the marks were clearly visible.

"Thinking about me…aren't you?

As a reflex I turned around and reared back to punch the intruder. But King, knowing me better, deflected it and pulled me to him.

"Easy there kitten…"

I relaxed for a moment and then looked at him indignantly, wondering if he had checked on Zoë or went downstairs at all. He put a finger to my lips.

"Promise to be quiet."

He pushed me up against the cold tiles. His hands were warm on my slick body as he slipped my legs around his waist. He was very gentle and not rushed at all. His kisses mingled with the water that fell around us. He placed an apology on every mark he created, lavishing them with kiss after soothing kiss. Whispering I love you, over and over again. His movements were slow and he looked in my eyes the whole time. This was his way of making love to me. He wanted to cherish it. King didn't have many people he loved, but he made sure that I knew I was on the top of his list. As I felt myself giving in I held him close, being careful of his back, and kissed him to hinder the sounds of our orgasm. He stayed close and spoke to me so softly I could scarcely hear him over the running water.

"You're so beautiful Abby, you're so beautiful…and you're mine."

It sounded as if he was saying it to himself and to me. King, despite sarcasm and a quicksilver tongue at times, could say the most heartbreakingly sweet sentiments. He took a sponge and soaped it up with a lavender scented body wash he had associated with my overall 'scent,' got down on his knees and began to carefully wash each leg, moving upward. I heard him inhale the scent and sigh as if it were heaven. He continued washing my stomach, breasts, and tilted my head back to wash my neck. Finishing off, he ran his sudsy hands down my arms and I washed off. I turned him around and started to gently scrub the dried blood off of his back. Leaving in its shadow, an homage of red scratches.

"I'm so sorry King, I really am…"

I kissed his back all over. I felt ashamed that I let myself get carried away like that. He knew it too. He grabbed me with both hands on the sides of my face and gave me a deep, passionate kiss.

"Apology accepted…I can't say I didn't enjoy you being out of control Whistler. Usually you reserve that for the fighting. It was very sexy."

He rinsed off and turned the shower off. He got out first and grabbed a big fluffy towel to wrap ourselves in. As we were standing there I was starting to wonder how Zoë would take it if she found out about us. The little one had a great sixth sense about people so I knew, no matter what, she would catch on soon. In the meantime King and I would just have to play it cool. King slipped into his own room to get dressed. I didn't realize how long we'd been in the shower till I looked at the clock and it read 6 p.m. We would have to go hunt soon, and I would finally meet this Azrael character. Caulder just arrived back from Scotland after doing research, Dash got a hold of him and they're going to survey the Honeycomb and take care of Zoë tonight. I pulled on a black turtleneck and some tact pants that way I could just strap myself up and leave early if we needed to. King and I walked down the steps where we could hear Zoë in deep discussion with Dash about the importance of getting off the computer once and a while.

"You need to get out more…"

I smiled and then looked at King who looked like he was about to be punished.

"God…I have the same feeling I did when I was 13 and my mom caught me jacking off in my room."

My face screwed up, half in disgust and the other in amusement.

"Thank you for that…lovely…image."

"Oh you know you liked it."

We rounded the corner to the computer stations and was greeted by Zoë, with her eyebrow raised questionably, and Dash, with his eyebrows raised knowingly. This is just great.

"Well good morning to the two of you…its only 6:15 in the afternoon."

"What's up Half-pint?"

I could tell by the look on her face, Zoë didn't really have the patience for him or his right now. She was grumpy, big-time. She pointed at the floor near the corner of the room.

Hey King…look…something shiny."

I laughed out loud at the insulted look on his face. Zoë observed my state of dress, then looked at me concerned.

"Are you cold? It's barely cool out there and you're wearing a turtleneck."

I blushed really hard and King stifled a laugh disguising it by coughing.

"Abby, you look red. Have you got a fever?"

She felt my head with the back of her hand. Then King decided to chime in.

"Yeah, I gave it to her."

He smirked and winked at me. Zoë looked at King, and then backed away.

"Then you better stay away from me. I don't want what you've got."

He laughed and spoke.

"…But Abby does."

Dash felt sorry for me in the situation, so he spoke up to save me.

"Abigail, Caulder and I have the whereabouts of the new vampire leader Azrael. Apparently he worked close with Asher Talos, and is just as sadistic as Danica. He's working out of the spiraling building, the Talos' old scrumming grounds."

"Oh well that's great…Whores of a feather…"

I could tell by looking at King that he was getting concerned. He would definitely be chaperoning my 'date' tonight.

"I want to lure Azrael in. Remember, he doesn't know what I look like. We could use that to our advantage. I want you to stay in the shadows."

King just nodded warily.

"Abby, they're holding a blood rave there tonight. You'll meet him there. He usually hangs behind the bar. So make yourself visible to both him and King from that point. Do what you have to entice him. Dance with him, buy him a shot, I don't care. We just need some info. King, you'll be stationed near the deejay booth. Stay alert, but stay out of trouble till she actually needs you."

"I got it Dash, but I'm not letting him take her anywhere."

I saw King shift uncomfortably at the mention that I'm going to be dancing with the guy. Jealousy would probably rear its ugly head out by the end of the night if he wasn't careful. Dash gave King a serious and mindful look.

"Don't let what you feel come in between what you have to do, my friend."

Zoë sat nearby, drinking all of this in. She didn't seem to be as scared about this because it wasn't supposed to be a fight night. That would come later. I looked over at her and she met my eyes to confirm that I was okay with all this. I gave her a wink and a half smile and she nodded. She knew King would take care of me no matter how much he ran his mouth. She knew he cared, she just didn't know how much. Now on to the more pressing issue; how the hell was I going to cover up these marks so that Azrael wouldn't see them and what was I going to have to wear? I let out a sigh of agony. King was definitely being sour. Great.

"This ought to be fun."