All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.

This story follows right after When I'm Gone: Third Installment to GONE Saga, so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.

The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12th and will progress from there.

AN: For those who are fans of Lance and Mattie Holmes (If you have not read their story, WHEN I'M GONE: MATTIE AND LANCE, feel free to hop on over to it and read it, as well as leave reviews –I do love reviews!), they now have five children. Their biological children are Abigail (Zak's best friend), Alison (eight years younger than Abigail), Andrea (four years younger than Alison), and are currently pregnant with their fourth daughter. Their adoptive children are Lucy, currently in law school, and Nick, who is autistic and lives at home with Maddie and Lance, where he designs complex computer graphics, with Lance marketing his work and placing all his profits into a trust fund for his future care. Just thought I'd share this information since Lance's family is briefly mentioned. Thought y'all would like the update.

Sorry for the wait. Lots of stuff going on with multiple stories, multiple jobs, too many tasks, and not enough sleep. Fair warning -you might not like some of the content on this chapter (which is rather lemony, might I add), but I had nothing to do with it. I simply write what the characters tell me -they make my life miserable if I don't.

As always, enjoy as you read and please leave tons of reviews!

Chapter Ninety-Two (17 yrs old)

"Come on, Gabe," Fields slammed his hand on the table, disappointed when the boy across from him didn't even flinch, "You have to give us something if you want us to help you out of this mess."

"The evidence is piling up on you," Pace leaned back on his chair, crossing his arms over his chest, "Your semen was found inside her. There are hand shaped bruises on her throat, arms, wrists –we'll match them to you. So how about you tell us what happened, uh?"

The silence thrummed with anger and frustration, Gabe's eyes never wavering from the wall behind them.

Letting out a sigh of frustration, Fields leaned forward, arms on the surface of the table, "Look, you lost your temper. It's been known to happen. You didn't mean to do it, didn't plan on it. If you tell us that's how it went down, we'll talk to the DA. Get you a plea bargain…"

No response.

Pace laced his fingers together and placed them behind his head, leaning back on his chair in a show of nonchalance, "You have a bright future ahead of you, Gabe. I heard you're looking into the Academies –you want to be a fighter pilot in the military, right?"

No response.

"That's not gonna happen if this goes to court," Fields cocked his head to the side, jaw tense with mounting frustration at the fact the boy didn't even bother looking uncomfortable, "Work with us, Gabe. Tell us the truth about what went down between you and Megan and I promise you, we will do everything we can to make sure –what the fuck?"

Both Fields and Pace stood up as Lance walked in, having pushed the door open hard enough for it to slam against the wall.

Glancing at Gabe's stony face, Lance moved towards the table, his own face sporting an unreadable look as he tapped on his iPad before setting it on the table and sliding it towards the two agents.

Fields and Pace watched as the screen flashed the Q13 FOX News logo before anchor Kaci Aitchison flashed onto the screen.

The body of a female was discovered in a shallow grave near Lake Sammamish last week. She's been positively identified as Rita Hausler. Forensic pathologist has confirmed the victim was beaten severely, a cracked hyoid confirming strangulation as cause of death. She was last seen in April at a grocery store in Forks, Washington, where she lived with her husband, Ted Hausler, and teenage daughter, Megan Hausler.

Megan Hausler, reported missing to the FBI by her father on August 26th, was found dead on September 9th, her body located near Mt. Rainier. Although the FBI has focused their attention on Miss Hausler's boyfriend, the Hausler's neighbors have shared some disturbing stories with our reporter, Alexandra Lewis, which could shed new light on their investigation.

Thank you, Kaci. I'm Alexandra Lewis and I'm standing outside the Hausler home, where Rita and Megan Hausler lived with Ted Hausler, whom no one has seen for the past seven days. I've had the opportunity to talk with some of their neighbors, one of whom shared a disturbing story regarding their family life.

"I used to hear them screaming at each other, late into the night. They would throw things and slam doors shut. One morning, I saw the wife. She was a pretty gal, her daughter looked just like her –she came out to collect the paper, and I noticed the right side of her face was black and blue, from her eye down to her chin. Her nose looked swollen –I think it was broken. She saw me looking at her, told me she had a bad habit of walking in the dark. Ran into the closed bathroom door, she told me. But I knew she wasn't telling the truth –I used to box back in the day. I know what a fist to the face looks like."

The Hausler's neighbors weren't the only ones to have noticed the tense situation. I went by Forks High School and spoke to some of Megan Hausler's friends, all of whom shared how they were never invited to her house. Megan never gave them a reason why. I also spoke to the Forks' cheerleading coach, who shared a bit about Megan's sudden change of behavior soon after her mother went missing.

"Megan has always been a good girl –a little self-centered and shallow, but sweet. She's one of our flyers. A flyer needs to control their weight by keeping their abdominal muscles tight –it helps them stabilize their spine while in the air. Some weeks before the end of school, I noticed she was having a hard time with some of the stunts. Megan was really good at doing some of the more complex stunts, which require a lot of tightening of the abdominal muscles –however, she wasn't able to hold those positions as long as she used to. She seemed to favor her right side, especially her ribs. I recall patting her stomach as I reminded her to keep her muscles tight –she cried out in pain. She wouldn't tell me what was wrong or let me see, but I was certain she was bruised. How, I don't know, but being this was the first time I've ever seen her favoring her torso, I had my suspicions."

The FBI continues to pursue Megan's boyfriend as their prime suspect, but after all the information we've unearthed, many wonder why they never bothered looking at Ted Hausler. Perhaps, as the investigation into Rita Hausler's murder gets underway, they might consider the possibility the one responsible for her murder, as well as the murder of her daughter, is the man they had trusted to keep them safe.

Fields pushed the iPad back at Lance, "You think we let the media tell us how to run our investigation?"

Pace crossed his arms over his chest, green eyes narrowed at the DA, "We've got plenty of evidence against your client."

"Circumstantial evidence at best," Lance picked up the iPad and slipped it into his briefcase before taking out a file folder, "Even your ADA thought so, considering he didn't go to a judge to sign your arrest warrant."

Fields and Pace stared at Lance, jaws tight as the manila folder was dropped on the table, sliding a few inches across the stainless steel surface as Lance finally smiled, "Next time you decide to bend the law, make sure your ADA is willing to stick his neck out for you. Gabe, did they read you your rights when they arrested you?"

Gabe shook his head, still too angry to open his mouth.

Lance smiled at the two agents, "Another no-no. Seems you two are in for a world of trouble. Let's go, Gabe."

Together they moved towards the opened door, Gabe stopping when Lance pivoted on his heel, pulling out two blue folded documents from the inside pocket of his Armani suit jacket and handing them to the agents, "Thought I'd save the process server the trip here and deliver these myself. You two have been served."

Fields took the documents, opening his and reading the first paragraph before looking up at Lance, "What the fuck is this?"

"Civil lawsuit," Lance tilted his head to the side as he studied the pale faces of both agents, "You violated my client's civil rights. I assure you, by the time I'm done, Gabe's going to be using your shiny badges as coasters for his drinks. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a long trip ahead of us."

Closing the door behind him, they walked side by side towards the elevators, Gabe looking over at Lance, "You're suing them?"

"They had no warrant when they arrested you, didn't read you your Miranda rights, and, quite frankly, pissed me off with their unprofessional behavior," Lance pushed the down button, looking over at Gabe, "They're fairly seasoned agents –they really should have known better, but they let prejudices get in the way of the investigation. This will teach them to be objective when making choices."

"They might lose their jobs."

"There is no might," Lance stepped into the elevator as soon as it emptied, Gabe following beside him, "They will lose their jobs. I've already lodged a complaint with the Director of the FBI."

Gabe didn't respond to Lance's statement, staring at the numbers above the closed elevator doors, "One of them said this whole thing could ruin my chances with the military."

"No need to worry about that," Lance reached out to grasp Gabe's shoulder, giving it a squeeze as he explained further, "I've talked to the ADA; as far as the military is concerned, or anyone else for that matter, this never happened."

"But with that lawsuit and all –"

"Your name is not on the lawsuit, Gabe," Lance stepped out as soon as the elevator doors opened, "I'm the one taking this past the finish line. Now, let's get you to your mother, shall we? I wait any longer and I'll end up having to prosecute her for premeditative murder and arson."

Gabe groaned as they stepped out of the front glass doors, "Premeditative murder?"

Lance chuckled as he easily flagged a cab, "Your mom is a sweet, classy lady but underneath all of it lays the heart of a true savage."

Gabe laughed, the anger he'd been carrying finally bleeding out, his tense muscles relaxing, "When it comes to us kids, ma would take out the President and the Pope –no questions asked, no hesitation, and no guilt."

Grinning, Lance thought of his Mattie and their children –he knew if any of them were threatened, from their three daughters to their two adopted children, and the baby she was currently carrying, she would become a fierce lioness, willing and able to take out anyone or anything to keep her children safe.

The world needed more mothers like Leah and Mattie.


October 3rd
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The atmosphere was pulsating with music, bodies moving to the hot beat, waitresses in short skirts and tight tops delivering drinks to the VIP tables on the second level of the club.

"Bet this is better than whatever you had planned for tonight," Calista yelled close to Vivi's ear, making sure she'd be heard over the music, "If you had turned us down again, we'd have started to think you thought you were too good for us."

"Of course I'm not," Vivi yelled back, taking a sip of her rum and coke as she looked around the crowded club, eyes stopping at a round table across the club near the dance floor, motioning towards it with her chin, "Is she here with us?"

Calista and a couple of the other dancers looked over the railing, one of them laughing as she looked over at her, "Oh no. She never comes with us –she is too good for us."

Brianna, one of the chorus dancers, reached across the round table they sat around to take a bright blue J-ello shot, tossing it back before sharing more information, "She always comes with the same guy –we have no idea who he is, but damn, he is fucking hot! A couple of us tried hitting on him but he just blows us off. Asshole."

"I thought you said he was hot."

"An asshole can be hot –a hot asshole," Brianna laughed as she tossed back another shot, pointing at the table where Thalia sat, "There he is! He must have been getting drinks at the bar."

Vivi studied Thalia's companion, noting the sharp yet beautiful features of his face –high cheekbones, straight nose, squared jaw, full lips, and caramel brown hair. She couldn't see his eyes from this distance but she knew they more than likely matched his hair –he was too perfect for her to think otherwise. She was also certain he and Thalia shared more than just the table they sat on, such as a similar diet and exercise regime…possibly even a father.

In the past months, she'd learned the truth about her kind –that is, half-breeds of the vampire variety. There were more than she expected, especially in this part of the world. What she hadn't seen until now was another male of her kind, aside from her brother.

"Are they related," she turned to ask Brianna, taking another sip of her drink as the dark skinned brunette gave her a look of surprise, "Thalia and the hot asshole? I don't know, although it would make sense if they are. He never dances with her and doesn't touch her like a lover would. Besides, rumor has it Thalia's never been broken in, so maybe he is some relative."

Nodding, she watched them interacting, studying his facial expressions and movements as they discussed something or other. Taking a sip of her drink, she kept her eyes on him, not looking away when he looked up at her, their eyes locking for a second before she looked away.

A hot asshole indeed.

"Who are you checking out," Thalia sipped at her fruity drink, fishing out the cherry and popping it into her mouth.

"The girls up on the second level, they're part of your dance troupe, right," Nahuel asked as he leaned back into his seat, sipping at his whiskey as he watched his sister fish out the piece of pineapple from her drink, continuing once she nodded, "Who's the redhead? Haven't seen her before."

"That's because she's new," Thalia licked her fingers before wiping them on a cocktail napkin; "She's the ballerina I told you about."

"She's hot."

"She's an uptight bitch," Thalia stirred her drink before taking a sip, "But by all means, if you think you can loosen her up, feel free. Maybe it'll improve her fucking dancing."

Throwing his head back with a laugh, Nahuel watched in amusement as Lucca approached the table, the music beating a heavy rhythm, "Looks like it's time for your show."

Wrinkling her nose at him, she put her drink down, standing up as soon as Lucca reached the table. She pulled down the hem of the tight blue strapless dress she wore, her skin shimmering under the pulsating lights, long hair tied into a sleek ponytail at the base of her neck. She was wearing five inch platform sandals made of nothing but straps crisscrossing up her calves, the whole ensemble showcasing her luscious body.

Rolling his eyes at the way Lucca looked her over before leading her onto the dance floor, he returned to his drink, occasionally glancing towards the balcony where the redhead sat. She wore her hair pulled up into some sort of twist, leaving her neck and shoulders bare, her skin giving off a pearlescent sheen he recognized for what it was. No amount of body glitter made skin shimmer like that, which meant she was his equal in every way.

Considering all the half-vampire women he knew were related to him, Nahuel had kept a tight rein on his sexual desires whenever he fucked, always conscious of the frailty of human women. Tipping back his drink, he pictured what she could be wearing –a strapless little number, considering the bare shoulders on display. Probably black –the color would make her hair and porcelain skin pop. As a ballerina she was more than likely tall and slender. Hopefully, she had tits worth handling, although he shouldn't hold his breath, being most ballerinas were as flat-chested as ten year olds. On the plus side, she would have long shapely legs strong from years of dancing en pointe.

Finishing his drink, he set the empty glass on the table, chuckling once he turned his attention to the dance floor where the club patrons had moved back to give Lucca and Thalia space to show off. Dance was the beat of his sister's heart, and wherever she went, it was always the same –an impromptu show others enjoyed immensely.

He looked over as the chair to his left was pulled out, lifting his hand to wave down a waitress as she walked by, "Whiskey neat, please, and whatever my friend here is having."

Marc looked at the blond waitress, assessing her physical attributes –long legs, small waist, and big breasts –before giving his order, "Straight up vodka."

"Planning on taking her home," Nahuel asked, having already hung out with him at plenty clubs to know Marc's penchant for blondes and one-night stands.

"Night's still young," Marc said with a shrug, looking around the club as Nahuel returned his attention to the balcony, "Who you scoping out?"

"See that redhead up there?"

Marc looked to where Nahuel motioned with his chin, eyebrows dipping as he scowled, "Viviana?"

"You know her?" Nahuel looked at his fairly recent friend, "Tell me you haven't fucked her already."

"One, I don't fuck redheads," Marc took his drink from the waitress once she returned, tucking a folded bill into the waistband of her skirt, "Two, she's a bitch."

"So you know her?"

"That brings me to point number three," Marc took a healthy swallow of his drink, eyes locking on the couple in the middle of the dance floor, "She's my sister."

Nahuel's eyebrows rose in surprise as he looked over at the redhead, able to see the frown on her full lips despite the distance, "That's your sister?"

"Yes," Marc sipped at his drink as he watched the brunette and her dance partner, eyes following every sensuous move she made.

"You mind if I hit on her?"

"I don't give a fuck what you do with her," Marc finished his drink, setting the empty glass on the table, "Just keep in mind –the bitch bites."

Nahuel's lips spread into a slow smile as he fixed his gaze on his next target, "Just the way I like it."

Marc signaled the waitress for another drink, slipping her another tip as soon as she brought it to him. Taking a swallow, he motioned towards the dance floor, "You know the brunette?"

Nahuel took the glass of whiskey the waitress had brought him along with Marc's drink, sipping at the smooth liquid before answering, "That's my sister, and, unlike you, I do care about her so watch yourself."

Letting out a dry chuckle, he nursed his drink as he continued to watch her, a strange sensation tugging at his heart, almost like it was being pulled apart, thread by thread, then woven back together with interspersed threads that weren't his, all the while filling up the empty hole Viviana had successfully carved into his soul for the past year.

"I thought you were into blondes," Nahuel stretched out his long legs, crossing his ankles as he turned his attention back to the redhead he now knew as Viviana…the name alone was getting him hot and bothered.

"A man can change," Marc placed his drink on the table, the strange sensations vibrating through him as he watched her move with the music, "There's something about her…"

Nahuel turned to look at Marc, having picked up something strange in the way he'd said that last phrase, "Just so you know, she may dance like a slut, but Thalia's never been with a man before."

"Thalia," he whispered under his breath, asking one more question before standing up to make his move, "The guy dancing with her isn't her boyfriend?"

"No," Nahuel didn't explain further, mostly because Marc was already making his way to the dance floor, "This should be interesting."

The closer Marc got to her, the tighter the band seemed to squeeze around his chest. Moving easily through the crowd around the dance floor, he stood at the edge, watching as she spun this way and dipped that way, her fluid body moving with the music. As her dance partner took her hand and spun her out, he cut in, catching her at the end of the spin, dipping her before pulling her up tight against him, both of them slipping effortlessly into the rhythm of the music.

She smiled up at him, small hands moving up his chest to his shoulders as her gold-green eyes twinkled. Together, they moved as one, the music hot and throbbing around them, through them, and within them. Without speaking, they felt their bodies meld together with the music, becoming one with it.

Vivi scowled as she watched them dance, hand tight around the tall glass of rum and coke she had yet to finish. The bright red ribbon coiled around them, slowly pulling their souls in tight against each other while they did the same with their bodies. Closing her eyes, she let out a long breath –she hadn't been ready to have them meet yet, but she would find a way to work with this.

"Care for a drink?"

She looked up into warm teak colored eyes, nose quivering at the mouth-watering scent of him as she held up her drink, smiling when he cocked an eyebrow at her, "Considering you've been nursing that drink for the past hour, I thought you might like something different."

Turning her back on the view below, she leaned forward as she set her drink on the table, "What do you recommend?"

He flagged a waitress as he took a seat in the empty chair to her left, "A vodka sour, along with a whiskey neat, please."

The girls who hadn't already headed off to the dance floor looked at him then her before leaving the table, either heading downstairs or to the bathroom, until they were the only ones left.

She watched out of the corner of her eye as his teak colored eyes slid over her body, lingering at her full breasts then on her long legs, left bare by the strapless black leather mini-dress she wore with purple ankle strap stiletto heels. Hiding her smile by taking a sip of her rum and coke, she looked to the dance floor over her shoulder, watching as Marc and Thalia moved from one song to the next as if they've been doing it all their lives. She hadn't even known the bastard could dance.

Turning back to look at the hot asshole, she crossed a long slim leg over the other, causing the already short skirt of her dress to ride higher up her thighs, "How do you know Thalia?"

Studying her face, he reached out to wrap his finger around the long red-gold skein of hair resting over her shoulder, fingertips brushing her collarbone then throat as he leaned in closer, "What exactly is it you want to know?"

Taking a sip of the vodka sour, she was surprised to find she liked it better than the rum and coke, "Are you related, do you fuck her, or do you two simply meet up to share drinks and swap weather updates?"

Wrapping his fingers around the back of her neck, he pressed his thumb against the thrumming pulse visible under the porcelain skin of her throat, "Although we do meet to share drinks, we never talk about the weather. I have never fucked nor will I ever fuck her, and yes, we are related. She's one of my many sisters...every one of them like her, except she's a little tamer than most."

"Your many sisters?" She watched as he dropped his eyes to her breasts, a shiver running through her and causing her nipples to harden, "How many?"

"Too many to count," Nahuel leaned in closer, taking in a deep breath, his mouth watering at the fresh scent of her skin and the sweetness of the hot blood running right below it, "What's your interest in Thalia?"

Shifting in her seat, she set her drink on the table, a soft gasp escaping her as he slid his large hand between her thighs and under her skirt, the tips of his fingers brushing against the silk of her panties. Swallowing at the sudden onslaught of lust slamming into her, she shifted again, not thinking as she uncrossed her legs to give him room to do what he pleased.

Moving into her space, he pushed a knee between hers, moving his hand further under her short little skirt until he covered her hot pussy with his hand. Leaning in to run his tongue up her jaw, he felt her pulse jump under his thumb as he repeated his question into her ear, "What's your interest in Thalia?"

"I plan on using her against Marc," Vivi's words came out in a husky whisper, followed by a low throated moan as he flexed his fingers over her before pushing aside the now wet fabric of her panties, blunt fingers sliding over slick velvet before pushing the middle one into her tight opening, "Just a little sooner than I planned."

Letting out a deep hum, he brushed his thumb over her hard little bud, teak colored eyes glittering with hunger and amusement as she arched her back, hips moving with the deep thrusting rhythm he set as he pushed another finger into her, "You and Marc seem to have a mutual abhorrence for each other."

She gasped out a yes as her body tightened, thighs trembling with the gathering force of an orgasm. It had been so long since she'd experienced this kind of pleasure, and even then, it hadn't been like this –growing and getting stronger as he curled his fingers inside her, bringing out a low moan as he rubbed and pushed against a particularly sensitive spot.

In the back of her mind, Vivi was aware they were in a public place, more than likely being watched by others, possibly even by the girls in her dance company, but she was past the point of caring. She was wound up so tight, her flat stomach quivering as she rode his hand, needing just a little more…just a little more…

Throwing her head back and baring her throat to him, she let out a groan as he licked up the pale and delicate skin, his teeth lightly gracing without biting down. Moving his hand from the back of her neck, he rubbed his thumb over her lips before placing the fleshy part between his thumb and index finger between her teeth, his lips hot against her ear as he whispered into her ear, "Bite me."

Without thinking, she sank her teeth into the soft flesh, blood flooding her mouth at the same time her orgasm broke free, body stiffening then relaxing as bliss slowly washed over her. She watched through heavy lidded eyes as he licked his bleeding hand, effectively sealing her bite marks before he removed his other hand from under her skirt. Chuckling as he licked his fingers clean, his words were easily heard despite the heavy beat of the music playing overhead, "And Thalia thinks you're an uptight bitch."

She knew his words were meant to anger her, but she was too relaxed and euphoric, she didn't care. She didn't even care what was happening on the dance floor between Marc and Thalia –her brain simply wanted to check out, and her body wanted to know when he could do that to her again.

She snapped out of her lethargic state as he pulled her out of her chair, keeping her small hand in his larger one as he led her past the tables in the VIP section and down the stairs, "Where are you taking me?"

Giving her a roguish smile over his shoulder, he pulled her into his side, wrapping his arm around her as he settled his hand on her ass, "Somewhere private where you can thank me properly."

People slowly filtered back onto the dance floor as the upbeat music changed into a slower and heavier rhythm. Marc pulled Thalia in tighter against his body, hands moving down the curve of her back to rest on her hips, brown eyes growing darker as he stared into her green-brown eyes, seeing tiny flecks of gold and amber in them.

Running her fingers through his dark hair, she draped her arms over his shoulders, tilting her head back to brush her full lips against his before whispering, "I don't even know your name."

"Marcos," he whispered back, running the tip of his tongue across her bottom lip as he let out a groan at the combined taste of cherry and pineapple, "Marcos Andres de la Luna."

She let out a soft chuckle, closing her eyes as she breathed him in, her heart beating hard and fast against her ribs, body humming with unknown sensations, "Marcos…I've never dance with anyone but Lucca."

"You won't be dancing with Lucca anymore," Marc wrapped her long ponytail around his hand until he had her head pulled back, his lips warm against the soft skin of her throat, "From now on, you dance with me."

Letting out a soft sigh, she melted into him, pressing her forehead against his shoulder as soon as he released her dark hair, "Take me home."

The drive to her apartment was filled with growing sexual tension, Thalia speaking only when giving him directions to her apartment complex. Marc easily maneuvered through the late night traffic –Rio was a city that never slept –smoothly moving in between cars and turning corners, all the while keeping a hand on Thalia's thigh, his fingers brushing slow arcs against the soft skin of her inner thigh.

Pulling into the parking lot, she pointed at a bright blue door on the second level of the complex, staying where she was as he got out of the Camaro and came around the front to open her door. Slipping her small hand into his offered one, she stepped out of the low riding car, the tight skirt of her blue dress barely clinging to her rounded bottom. Marc groaned as he let his eyes travel up her body, taking in the long toned legs, rounded hips, small waist and flat stomach, stopping a bit longer at the generous breasts before moving up to her slender throat, heart shaped face with full pouty lips, a small upturned nose, and ending at her eyes. They were beautiful –almond shaped yet big, with thick dark eyelashes and perfectly winged dark eyebrows, the blended colors of her irises making his heart skip a beat. Staring into those green-brown-gold eyes made him realize he finally found where he belonged; he had no intention of ever letting her go.

Leaning in, he softly rubbed his mouth against hers, breathing in her sweet breath as he slid his free hand over her hip to cup her heart-shaped ass and pull her against him. Letting out a soft moan, she pushed against his chest, pressing her lower body against him as another tingle of excitement traveled up her body at the feel of his desire for her, "My apartment is just upstairs."

Without another word, he closed and locked his car, letting her lead him up the stairs and down the walkway to her door. As soon as she unlocked and opened the bright blue door, he ushered her into the apartment, pushing her up against the door as soon as he closed it, his mouth on hers. This kiss wasn't soft and gentle –no, Marc kissed her like he was trying to devour her soul and give her his.

Without thought of how fast everything was moving, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, easily lifting herself up to wrap her long legs around his narrow hips as she tilted her head back to bare her throat, her voice heavy with need, "Bite me."

"Thalia –"

"You won't hurt me," she lowered her face to look into his near black eyes, sucking in a gulp of air at the look of desperate need mixed with fear on his face, "I'm immune…we all are."

"It's not that," Marc sucked in air to calm down but all it did was cause his head to swim with the sweet scent of her blood, hot and thick below the surface of her delicate skin. Swallowing a mouthful of saliva and venom, he tried to keep control of his thirst, "I've never…other than my own, I've never tasted human blood."

Running her fingers through his dark hair, she pressed her swollen lips to his, her body shuddering with pleasure as he pressed his pelvis against hers, "I trust you…I know you won't hurt me."

Closing his eyes, he dropped his head onto her bare shoulder, stroking his hands against the sides of her luscious body, his thumbs brushing the tips of her generous breasts, "How can you possibly know that?"

Pressing her small hand over his left pectoral muscle, she smiled at the fast rhythm his heart was currently beating, "Do you feel this? Between us?" She took his hand and pressed it against the left side of her chest so he could feel her own heart beating in synchrony with his, "I don't know about you, but I've been waiting so long for this…for you. I don't want to hold anything back from you. Please…don't hold back...not with me."

Looking into her eyes, he gently bit her bottom lip, his tongue catching the little bead of blood. He let out a groan at the taste of her, eyes closing as she moved her hands down to undo his belt, followed by the button and zipper of his dark jeans. Sliding his hands up her strong smooth thighs, he pushed her panties to the side, rubbing himself against her wet center before lodging the tip of his cock into the tight entrance of her pussy.

Kissing her swollen lips, he breathed in the scent of her arousal, moving his mouth down her throat as the feelings inside him swelled until they burst out of him in a single word right before he sank his teeth into her throat and his body into hers.

"Mine."