Chapter 28

As they stood by the bed, he started kissing along her neck. "You look so gorgeous, love. Practically stole my breath away when I saw you standing there in the moonlight. I want you so much."

"Mmm, that's good. Sit." Kara gently pushed him down on the bed and walked over to the table in the corner. She came back with a plate of confections. "We're taking our time tonight, unlike last time. Try one of these. They're really good." She popped one in her mouth, savoring the rich sweetness of the little treat. Spike rolled his eyes, good naturedly, but humored her anyway, and ate one, too.

"Wow," he said, surprised. "That's the best dessert I've ever had. What's in it?"

"That's the special part. They're magical. They conform to the tastes of the eater so every one is always fantastic. Would you like another?"

"I'd like…to slip this dress off of you…"

"All in good time, baby. There are certain traditions to follow," she replied enticingly. Kara set the plate back on the table, and picked up a bottle of oil. She pulled the cap off and poured a little in her hand. "Right now, I want you to turn around on the bed so I can sit behind you." She really wanted to see his back.

Spike complied, moving further towards the center of the bed, and sat down Indian-style. Kara knelt behind him, rubbed the oil between her hands, and started running them over his shoulders and back in sensual circles. His eyes fluttered closed, the sweet fragrance of the oil, and her expert touch melting away the nervous energy. Kara began to hum something sultry, the tones low and rich. There were plenty of ways to make love to someone besides having sex, and she planned to fully pamper her mate before getting to the claiming.

"Hmm…I've come to the full conclusion that tattoos are sexy on you," she complimented, running her fingernail down his spine and causing goosebumps.

"Is that so?" he asked, breathlessly.

"Mmm hmm. Did Atana tell you the other reason these symbols are painted on the couple, besides being a prayer of blessing?" She was tracing each one, starting at the lowest and moving upwards. This inexplicable rush was forming from his tailbone and following her hand.

Spike shook his head 'no' at her question.

"No? Well, the other reason they are painted on the spine is to serve as a map for stimulating the nerves. It should be starting to feel pretty good by now," she murmured. "Would you like me to keep going to the top? Not everyone makes it through the whole process without passing out, the pleasure gets so intense." Her fingers danced over the next 'letter', and he moaned.

"Don't stop!" he pleaded, his voice raspy. Another letter caused a delicious shiver. "Oh god…" Another, and he whimpered.

As she neared the top of his shoulders, Kara could feel his body vibrating beneath her fingers. Even with his vampire constitution, she wasn't sure if he could handle the final 'letter'. He was panting and gasping with each one by now, fisting the bed sheets tightly in front of where he sat. She paused when only one 'letter' remained, allowing his body to get accustomed to the current level.

"Shhh, baby," she whispered, gently rubbing his shoulders, then moving her fingers to the base of his skull. Kara gently massaged him, getting the muscles to relax. "There's only one left, Spike. Do you want me to keep going?"

"Yes," he gasped. He swallowed a couple times, trying to moisten his throat. "I never back away from a challenge, luv."

"Okay…" Her fingers played over the final symbol, signaling the release of the tingle that had been building with each sequence.

If the chip was thought to give blinding pain, this was blinding pleasure. The rush flooded through his brain like a tidal wave. He could see nothing, hear nothing, feel nothing else but this intensity in his head. It wasn't like having an orgasm, but he didn't know how to describe what it was, either. Spike didn't know how long that lasted, only that when he could see again, he was lying on his side, with Kara in front of him and running her fingers through his hair. He blinked, confused, a few times.

"Hey, handsome. Welcome back," she said, smiling.

"Hi," he croaked.

Kara rolled off the bed and walked over to the table, picking up a pitcher and pouring something into a cup. She handed it to him, and he drank gratefully. It was sweet and tart at once, like those little hard candies Dawn liked.

"Thanks. What is this?"

"Cormberry juice. They grow wild all over the place around here. How was that?"

"I think my head blew up. Something from Kalari's memories?"

"Basically. When we still had a society, part of our education as adults was to learn how to please a mate. Mothers taught daughters, fathers taught sons – how much you learned depended on your age, maturity, and selflessness. Do you like your ring?" she asked, picking up his hand and running her thumb over it.

"Yeah. Shocked the hell out of me when it moved on its own, though. You could've warned me, kitten," he chastised, teasingly.

"And miss the look on your face? I'm glad you like it. It was my father's. And this was my mother's," holding up her own hand. "We shouldn't be able to have them, but at least they're going to good use."

He kissed her ring. "Yes, they are. What's next on your agenda, my love?"

Kara slipped the straps of her gown off her shoulders, allowing it to pool at her waist and leave her breasts bare. "Care to guess?"

Spike sat up immediately and dipped his head to the curve of her neck. "I like this part of the plan very much," he huskily replied.

Her breath hitched as he took one peak into his mouth. "I thought you would." Her fingers wound their way into his hair as she held him to her breast. The things he can do with that tongue…

Her skin felt even softer than usual to his lips, and she smelled like heaven. His mouth watered as the scent of her arousal increased, and suddenly, he couldn't wait to taste her. Spike pivoted their bodies so Kara fell to the bed, and slid her dress the rest of the way off. He was even more pleased to find that she had gone completely naked under her gown. His tongue was lapping at her center before she even had the chance to protest the change in position.

"Oh…" she moaned.

"So sweet, like the finest ambrosia. You like that, luv?"

"Oh, yes…don't stop, Spike." Her hips were writhing in an attempt to increase contact. He pressed his arm down more firmly to hold her to the bed.

When he felt her about to explode, Spike pierced the soft flesh of her inner thigh with his fangs, pulling a scream from her throat, and loud moans as her orgasm washed over her. Her arched back finally relaxed as she came down, panting, only to string taut again as his fingers plunged inside her. Spike was determined to repay her in climaxes to the level of the pleasure explosion she had given to him. A dozen in half an hour should do the trick.

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"What time to do you think Kara will be able to send us back tomorrow?" Clem asked.

"I don't know. Whenever she can drag herself out of bed, I guess. Deal me another card," Tara replied. She and Clem were playing rummy in his room.

"Right. I guess we'll be around for lunch, then?"

"Definitely."

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"Break!…I need a…break, Spike," Kara panted.

"That was only number 6, kitten. I know you've got a lot more in you," he said lasciviously.

"Not if my heart bursts first! My ears are ringing so loud…" she sobbed.

He crawled up alongside her and pulled her close. "Aww, poor baby…are the little ones okay?" he asked suddenly, concerned.

"Hmm? Oh…they're fine, honey."

"You're sure?"

"Yes. I can sense them. I'd get a warning tingle in my head if they weren't. Maybe this is a good time for a snack?"

Spike scrambled off the bed to get her a glass of juice and load up the plate with more goodies from the basket. Can't believe I forgot already…stupid berk! No more crazy plans in bed! Kara felt his self-irritation through his claim and got up off the bed, wrapping her arms around him from behind.

"Spike…you're not going to break me, or them, by being passionate tonight, okay?" He turned around in her arms.

"I know that here," he replied, pointing to his head. "But in here," placing his hand over his un-beating heart, "I panic at the thought of anything happening to you three. I've never had anything mean as much to me as our family, luv. You know me, I don't get scared…but losing any of you terrifies me when I think about it."

"Oh, Spike…" Kara kissed his chest, over his heart. "This may not beat anymore, but it so isn't dead," she whispered. "You amaze me." She continued applying kisses, until she sucked on his nipple, grazing it lightly with her teeth, making him hiss in pleasure. "Someone needs to get a bit more naked," she purred.

"Thought you were hungry?"

She looked up into his eyes, hers gleaming with lust. "I am," Kara replied suggestively.

"Oh!" "Uh-huh." Kara threw back the top sheet and lay down on the bed to wait.

Spike quickly rid himself of the pants he'd been wearing and stood before her, naked and beautiful. She couldn't help wanting to taste him, wrapping her hand around his hard shaft and curling her tongue around the head. He moaned, one hand coming up to slide into the hair at the nape of her neck, the other steadying him on the bed. She took him in as far as it would go, still using her long tongue to play with all the nice places how he liked best.

"So good, Kara…faster, kitten, just like that. Mmm…gah…Kara…I'm…"

"Mmm-hmm."

His fingers tightened around her hair as he erupted, letting out a primal roar that got her all kinds of hot all over again. She swallowed it all, not wanting to let him go, yet. It wasn't her usual thing, but Spike got the occasional special exception. It wasn't something she would say out loud, well, maybe to Anya, but he tasted better than her previous boyfriends. And that thought still had her blushing, so it was good that Spike couldn't see her face yet.

"Come up here, luv," he growled sexily, pulling her away from his renewing erection and claiming her mouth. He was rock hard between them, again, by the time he let her pull back to breathe. "Will you let me make love to you now?"

"Oh, yeah, but remember, I have to initiate the eternity claim, or it won't work right," she teased.

"Yeah, yeah…you drilled all this stuff in my head all week," he groused, hiding a grin.

"Hey…keep up the attitude, and you're not gettin' anywhere, bub."

"Oh, really? Not even here?" sliding all the way in on one pass, making her gasp. Kara's grip on his arms tightened as he fractionally started to move. "Sure about that, kitten, because here's an awful nice place to be," he murmured hotly in her ear, before nibbling on the edge. "God, you're so hot…my little raging inferno, aren't you?"

"Oh god…love what you do to me," she breathlessly replied.

Spike turned them around so he could sit on the bed, keeping her in his lap. If they were going to do the claim now, they needed full access to each other's necks. Kara was already breathing hard as she rode him, her body responding to what she knew was coming. She leaned her face into his neck, kissing and tasting the pale skin, but avoiding Drusilla's siring mark, for now. His neck was arched back to give her full access, his expression a mix of ecstasy and concentration.

"My lover, my heart, my husband, my mate," she whispered hotly against his skin. "Do you want me, William? Are you mine?"

"Yes, Kara! Love you, need you…so close, baby…give me everything."

She sucked on the mark, feeling him harden further inside her. Any moment, now, she thought. Kara started chanting the Latin incantation she had said the first time. The third time was the loudest.

"Say it!" she demanded, and plunged her fangs into his neck as deep as they would go. She pulled strongly on his blood, gulping it down while she waited for him to bite her in return.

"Yours! My love, my mate, forever." Spike pierced her neck harder than normal, his demon to the fore. "MINE!" he growled, triggering her climax.

"Yours," she sobbed, her body convulsing from the power of her orgasm, and ripping her fangs from his neck, letting the blood trickle from his wounds. Blood was all over her lips and chin, her features still changed. She was Kalari right now, her native land bringing out the full power she possessed, making her eyes glow so brightly that Spike couldn't directly look into them.

Kara dipped her head to return to his neck, and was stopped by a possessive and dominating growl from her mate. She lifted her head in surprise, and growled back in challenge. Seemed a new aspect of their mating was coming into play. Spike buried his teeth in her neck again and pressed her to the bed, growling again. Okay…his demon wanted to be in charge, she could play along. He pounded into her, no longer drinking her blood, but not removing his teeth.

Ah…he wants the scar as obvious as possible…two can play at that. Kara licked at his the blood clean from his skin, purring as he moved above her. She wrapped her legs around his back to take him deeper, and he moaned in appreciation. Her claws dug in harder into his back as they neared completion once again. Kara felt him tighten within her and slid her teeth back into her mark. Spike roared into her neck, spilling his seed into her, but not slowing down. She felt his pleasure in the taste of her blood, his orgasm, and the chant of 'mine, mine, mine, mine' echoing in her head.

Spike's continued pace brought a second climax from her for this round. He licked his marks, sealing them for now, at least, and slowed down slightly to allow her to catch up. He had no intention of stopping until one or both of them passed out from sheer exhaustion, or endorphin overload. Her eyes were dazed, but still full of love. Spike further reduced the speed of his thrusts, deciding on tender and deep to give them some time to feel the new bond.

"I love you," he said emphatically, his voice like roughened silk.

"I love you, too," she replied tenderly. "Wow…"

"Yeah…I feel you everywhere…."

"It's almost too much…I'm drowning in you, but it feels so…

"Safe…I know. It's stronger than before."

"But why? I loved you just as much then…"

"…but you're not hiding now, kitten. You're not scared anymore."

"I wasn't scared…mmm, don't stop…just a little insecure…"

(And bloody terrified deep down that I would change my mind and cast you aside like the others before.)

("Hey…I'm not the only one with insecurities," she pouted.)

(Never said you were, luv…can we never leave this? You feel so good, baby. So warm, and wet for me. So bloody beautiful…)

"My husband, the sweet talker."

Kara rolled them over and set her own pace, noticeably faster than the leisurely lovemaking he had been doing. "Kinda done talking," she said in explanation.

"Fine, then." Spike bent forward to take one pebbled peak in his mouth, tweaked the other with one hand, and sought out her nub with the other.

"Oh, fuck!" she gasped at the sudden stimulation. He chuckled against her breast while tsk-ing her mentally for bad language. She also felt his pride that he could make her lose her inhibitions.

Kara's orgasm hit powerfully sudden, and pulled him along with her. They collapsed to the bed, still joined, and passed into a couple hours of slumber. The couple had all the time in the world, so what were a few hours of sleep?