Author's Note: Reviews are appreciated and encourage me to type faster. The painting will be turning up several chapters later in the story and the website will have a rendering of the painting.

Chapter 16

As Phillippe exited the room, Jack dropped his sword to the floor and walked slowly towards Samantha. Smiling lovingly, Jack murmured sensually, "Samantha. Look at you."

"Jack?" she wavered uncertainly. "What have I done?"

"What have you done? Samantha, you have become more beautiful than I ever dreamed possible," Jack purred. Caressing her blood stained cheek, Jack pressed his lips to hers and kissed her tenderly. "Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine you so radiant."

"But, Jack I k-killed him. I murdered that man."

"No!" Jack cut her off sharply. Nuzzling her face, he kissed her and allowed streaks of crimson to mar his handsome face. Gently he turned her around to face the bed and whispered, "This isn't murder. You created my goddess, you created something amazing. I have longed for this moment for almost as long as I've longed to hear you speak of love."

Samantha stared at the bloodied corpse and leaned back against Jack. His words made it sound so easy. When she picked up the knives and killed the doctor, all she could think of was how angry she was that he'd mocked Jack. Now that the man was dead, she tried to reconcile her emotions. She didn't feel guilty exactly, just strange and like the whole thing had just been a surreal dream. No, Samantha wasn't sorry the man was dead, she decided.

"I'm not sure how I feel. Part of me-" Samantha trailed off. "I feel like I should feel guilty. It's odd, I feel guilty that I don't feel guilty."

Jack laughed and slid his dressing gown off his shoulders and held it up for Samantha to slip into. Mechanically she allowed him to help her into the black velvet. Looking up at Jack's face she saw the smears of blood and reached up to touch them. Capturing her hand in his, Jack pressed a kiss into her palm and drew her into his embrace. Samantha quivered in his arms from the adrenaline rush of killing and the torrent of emotions that were swirling within her. Brushing his lips against her, Jack kissed Samantha, gently at first, then deeply.

"Had you not taken care of the doctor, then I would have. You have nothing to feel guilty about my Samantha. Tonight my Queen pushed aside the Profiler and became glorious. He was your inferior and had no value. Stop denying yourself the pleasure that you are feeling at this moment. I can feel your body nearly singing with ecstasy. Stop fighting yourself and give in to the sensation," Jack coaxed sibilantly.

Still torn, Samantha opened her mouth to Jack's as his face pressed against hers. As their lips met, their tongues caressed and Samantha melted against Jack. Excitement and desire began to course through her as she surrendered to Jack's kiss and seductive words. Softly she moaned as his hand caressed her breast through the velvet and his lips trailed down her throat. Euphoria from killing transformed into lust under Jack's skillful hands as he traced her curves and channeled the torrent of emotion that had bubbled within Samantha.

Doubts were melting as Jack continued to arouse her. Samantha found the faint stirrings of guilt she'd experienced in light of her lack of remorse were diminishing rapidly in Jack's arms. Knowing that he had killed so many times for her and that tonight she had killed for him, excited her. Making such a bold move in their mental dance was a profound step in their game. Earlier Jack had worried that she would abandon him if they returned to their time, surely this would reassure him, Samantha thought.

"We are the same now, aren't we?"

Nodding, Jack agreed, "We always have been, you just needed to realize it."

"Nothing will ever come between us, even if we go back," Samantha told him. When he didn't answer she pressed against him and kissed him. Desperately, she insisted, "Nothing will ever come between us. Nothing do you hear me? Nothing!"

Jack hadn't doubt her sincerity, he simply hadn't wanted to press her too hard. Caressing her face with his hand he promised, "Nothing will ever come between us. I love you my Samantha."

"Forgive me," she blushed slightly, embarrassed by her outburst.

"There's nothing to forgive, this is all very new for both of us. Let's go back to my room," Jack suggested tenderly.

"I thought you wanted me to sleep in my room."

Moving his hands sensually over her body as they approached the door, he said, "Sleep is the last thing on your mind my darling and tonight it shall be my turn to watch over you."

"But Jack your injuries, you really can't," Samantha protested.

"Our union shall not be consummated this night. Right now I wish only to hold you and bring you pleasure," Jack informed her as he opened the door. "Perhaps we shall clean you up a bit as well, non?"

As the pair moved past Phillippe, he stared at the couple in amazement. Earlier he'd known that the Mademoiselle was angry with the Paris physician; but he never imagined she was capable of murder. When they walked in and found her standing over the body, his heart turned in agony for the pair of lovers, imagining that the Master would condemn her for her actions and that she would die. Instead, the Viscomte was delighted and the couple seemed as close as ever. There was definitely something strange about the Master and Mademoiselle since their engagement, but with his salary doubled, Phillippe wasn't going to question their actions.

Jack lead Samantha into the bedroom and closed the door behind them. Removing the dressing gown from her body, he lead her into the bathing room that was adjoined to the suite. Turning gold taps that were encrusted with jewels, Jack drew a bath for her and gently urged her into the sunken tub. Sitting on the side of the marble tub, as best he could with his injuries, Jack traced a large sea sponge over Samantha's body and wiped the blood away. She watched aroused and enraptured, her lips slightly parted as he washed the last remnants of her frenzied killing. When he had finished bathing her, Samantha took the sponge and tenderly cleaned Jack's face where it had been smeared in a bloody kiss.

"Samantha," Jack shivered with pleasure at her soft ministrations.

Their lips met briefly in affection, before Jack rose cautiously from the edge of the tub and held a thick towel up for Samantha. As his hands moved over her body to dry her off, she whimpered as his touch. Moving back into the bedroom, Samantha let Jack slowly climb onto the bed, his injuries still needing to be considered in their actions. Carefully she climbed in beside him on his uninjured side and turned her face to receive his kiss. Her fingers tangled through his hair and brushed his ear.

"Your earrings are gone," Samantha said, referring to the small twin hoops that had adorned his left ear back in Atlanta.

"Apparently, my scar from you shooting me isn't the only thing that changed. You seem unchanged though," Jack remarked.

Blushing Samantha confessed, "I was shaved back in Atlanta."

"Were you now," Jack took her tongue into his mouth and gently probed the silky curls between her thighs. Her sex was wet against his fingers and gently he pushed a finger inside her. To his surprise his finger met resistance and she made a small pained sound of protest. Instantly, he withdrew his finger and concentrated on caressing her swollen clit. In the back of his mind Jack knew shaving wasn't all that had changed about Samantha, but he decided to hold off on telling her.

Moving his mouth down her throat, Jack spoke sibilantly. "The moment before orgasm, teetering on the precipice between agony and ecstasy is one of the sweetest moments in the human existence."

Panting from his attentions, Samantha breathed, "Is it?"

"The other is the moment when you become omnipotent and create death as you did tonight. Tonight you shall feel both my Samantha," Jack purred continuing to coax her to pleasure.

A moment later she climaxed, cumming hard against his fingers. Released on many levels from tensions of many years as she cried out his name. Jack pressed a kiss reverently to Samantha's mouth when her breathing began to slow. For a long time he continued to hold and caress her until she fell asleep in his arms. Briefly, Jack allowed himself to enjoy her closeness before slowly rising from the bed and pulling on the black velvet robe. Quietly he left the room to deal with body...