"Kitten." His soft, English accented voice was full of pain. He knelt, scooping her up, and standing to carry her away. She was unconscious and bloody, but he'd seen that many times. Tonight, though, she had a different kind of blood on her, so much blood on her inner thighs.

He didn't wake her until they were home and he had her settled into their bed. He opened his wrist with a fang, put his blood everywhere he saw a wound, and then held it to her lips, pleased when he felt her begin to suck. Her eyes fluttered open in a moment and she reached out toward him.

"He...! He..."

"I know luv, I saw." His voice was as gentle as she'd ever heard it and more. "Spade has him right now. Gonna have a chat with him later."

"He..." She was weeping, eyes closed, head shaking. "Bones, he hurt me... with my knife."

It took every ounce of control to not fling himself out of their bedroom window to go flay every inch of flesh off Kricket's body and then feed it to him, but he knew Cat needed him here.

"Kitten, I'm so sorry." He gathered her to him and held her. Then he realized that she had more wounds he had not treated. He bit himself again. "Drink, luv, to make sure you're completely healed."

She took several more pulls, then turned her head. "It feels like it's done."

He nodded, then held her, ready to protect her from her nightmares.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Six weeks later, Cat came to bed but did not snuggle into him. Instead she sat up under the covers, head in one hand.

"Luv?" Bones was already in bed, lying on his side, covers up to his waist.

"Make love to me." She said in a rush.

Bones swallowed. They hadn't been intimate since a target had raped Cat with her own knife. Oh, they'd tried but as soon as Bones had touched her, she'd clamped her legs together, the first time even kicking at him. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Bones, you made me feel so good. I don't want him to have taken that from me. I love you." She turned to him with tears in her eyes.

"All right, Kitten. But I'll say the same thing I said our first time. No matter what, no matter when, if you say stop I'll stop."

She nodded and lay down with him, tilting her head to kiss him.

He lingered over her mouth, hand staying on her waist. He was very, very good with his tongue but he doubted that she would want such pleasuring, so he gave it to her in extra measure this way.

He inhaled occasionally, checking her scent. When she'd first laid down, he smelled nerves and even fear- oh that tore him. He never wanted his Kitten to be afraid of him. After lingering, deepening kisses, he began to faintly smell her arousal. He smiled inwardly and redoubled his efforts, but kept his hand on her waist.

Eventually she pulled away, blinking at him, eyes very faintly green. His eyes glowed and she smiled at him. "I love you, Bones." She said.

"I love you too, Kitten. I can't say how much."

"Touch me," she said, and the quaver in her voice broke his heart.

Bones kissed her again, and began to stroke her side, moving up to cup her breast. In a moment he lowered his head and kissed her nipple, then looked up. "Alright, luv?" He asked huskily.

She nodded.

Lowering his head again, he kissed her nipple, then drew it into his mouth, sucking lightly, grazing it with his teeth.

"Bite me." She commanded.

He inhaled again. Arousal, but more fear. "I won't hurt you, Kitten." He promised, and bit her.

She moaned and he took another quick sniff, pleased to discover that arousal now outweighed the fear. He wondered if she was remembering the first time he'd bitten her there, and then had to stop thinking about it when desire flooded him. He didn't want to overwhelm her with his need, and thinking about the things that they had done that night flared his libido like a can of gasoline flared a house fire.

He continued with her breasts while she wound her fingers in his hair, eyes closed, giving herself to the sensation. After a bit she spread her legs a bit. "Touch me?"

"You're sure?"

She nodded.

He smoothed his hand down her stomach, stroking her red curls, and then slid one finger into her folds.

Her legs clamped shut, trapping his hand. Her fear scent spiked and he tried to pull away, but he didn't want to hurt her.

"Kitten! Kitten, it's all right. It's me. I won't hurt you."

She was rigid, eyes closed, body clenched.

"Kitten?" He pleaded. "Kitten, open your eyes. It's me. It's Bones." He held his hand absolutely still.

In a moment, her eyes fluttered open. She was breathing raggedly and she stared at him for a long time. Slowly she relaxed.

"Come here," he said, gathering her to him. She allowed it, she had no adverse reactions to him holding her.

In a while she sighed. "I'm sorry, Bones. I know how badly you want to. I wanted us to."

"Kitten, I would spend the rest of my life celibate if it meant I could spend the rest of my life with you here in my arms."

She grunted bitterly. "It feels like that's what's going to happen."

"It's only been a month, luv. Go easy on yourself."

But she never went easy on herself, he knew.

After a bit she sighed again. "Bones?" She said hesitantly.

"Hm?"

"Would you kiss me, and play with my nipples again?"

In reply he kissed her deeply, cupping her breasts. Once he was again sucking and nibbling her nipples, she writhed beneath his touch. "Kitten, I have an idea. Touch yourself."

Her head flew up. "What?!"

"Touch yourself. You're not afraid of your own hand, right? And I'll keep playing with your breasts. It would be a start."

Her cheeks flamed. She had never, ever touched herself in that way. But... he had a point.

"Bite me again."

And when he did, her hand strayed between her legs.

It was awkward at first, but the pleasure streaking through her from Bones' fangs and his rhythmic pulls as he suckled soon settled, and she whimpered as she found the right spot, the right rhythm.

He smelled the change at the same time as he heard it and his desire skyrocketed, but he gave no outward show. He continued to minister to her breasts, worshipping them, gauging what she needed by her increasing cries. Then suddenly her body arched, as though she was reaching the arc of a high throw but was straining for just a fraction more height.

The next moment she was shuddering, tears leaking from closed eyes. "Bones," she whimpered, clutching his hair with her free hand. "I love you. I love you."

"I love you too my Kitten, more than anything."

The next night Cat and Bones snuggled in bed. "I enjoyed that last night, Bones," she said, blushing faintly.

"Sometimes a woman needs to take matters into her own hands. Nothing the matter with it. I was so glad when you came, Kitten. I love watching you come."

She smiled. He was very good at making her orgasm, as well. He saw her look and knew what she'd been thinking.

"Do you want to do it again?"

She nodded.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

A week later, between his tongue and fangs and her own hand smoothing the way, she was able to tolerate him touching her. He looked to her in a silent request for permission, but she shook her head when he meant to penetrate her with one long, tapering digit. His head dipped back to her nipple and his fingers instead continued their rhythm on her flesh.

After she'd orgasmed, Bones lay panting.

"Bones?" She asked hesitantly.

"I'm fine, luv, just need a moment to settle."

"Bones, I want to make love to you." She murmured. She straddled him, kissing him, rubbing him. His fingers bit into her hips, and then suddenly he was pushing her off him.

"Bones?!"

"I can't control myself right now, luv. If I feel you around me, I'm afraid I won't be able to be gentle."

He was actually trembling. His eyes roamed over her, glowing bright green. Then he stilled. "Kitten?"

"What, Bones?" She sounded a bit taken aback still.

"Bind me."

Cat's jaw dropped. "What?!"

"Bind me. Bind me so that you may be in complete and total control."

She stared at him... and then a small smile quirked her lips.

In a few minutes, Bones was bound to the bed, hands loosely at shoulder level and legs tightly enough that he couldn't bend his knees. The restraints were silk with carbon fiber. He could probably break them if he tried, but not without effort.

"Do with me what you will, my Kitten." He said.

Cat couldn't deny the tingle of excitement at seeing Bones tied up, naked, watching her with lustful eyes. She knew he trusted her implicitly, and it hurt that she was having trouble trusting him. Her mind knew he'd never hurt her, but her body, and her survival instinct, were begging to differ.

She watched him for a moment, admiring him. He was beautiful. She caressed his stomach, his chest, and then she kissed him. She lingered and the slide of their tongues reminded her of the slide of other body parts. She shivered at the thought.

She began to kiss his body, nibbling and outright nipping him, knowing he loved the feel of her teeth on him. His eyes drifted shut and he breathed more often than usual, occasionally with a hitch when she found an especially sensitive spot.

Eventually she made her way down to his erection. Her attacker had not used his penis on her, and Bones' didn't frighten her. It was the thought of penetration that still bothered her.

She grasped Bones' erection and he groaned, not opening his eyes. She stroked him gently, paying special attention to the head, and then he whimpered. The sound went straight to her groin.

"Do you like that?"

"God yes Kitten." His voice was as ragged as if he'd been screaming.

She continued to rub him, leaning to flick her tongue over his nipple. At the first flick, he shuddered violently, a hoarse sound coming from him, then clenched his teeth to quiet any other noises.

"I love hearing you," she said. She continued to stroke him as she spoke. "This isn't a torture chamber. I won't hurt you if you make a sound."

He opened his eyes. She was right. This wasn't like the last time someone had bound him and held his manhood. She smiled at him, then stroked the head of his erection again.

The moan he let out lit her eyes to bright emerald. He saw it and grinned. "Kitten, you are torturing me, don't get me wrong. But this torture I'll gladly take all night."

She lowered her head and licked him, base to tip, swirling around the tip, and his hips bucked. She took him into her mouth and sucked deliberately, firmly, while he groaned her name in a way that reached inside her and made her clench.

After a moment she slithered up his body, kissing him again, then held her breasts in his face. "Bite me?"

He happily obliged and the scent of her arousal nearly had him tearing the restraints.

She slithered a bit more and settled over his erection. She put it between her folds and began to rock, rubbing herself.

"Oh. My. God," he managed, clenching his bonds. Cat continued to rock, and then reach down, positioned him, and slowly impaled herself.

To his credit, he didn't scream, but he only missed it by a few decibels. His chest was positively heaving as she rose and fell slowly, readjusting to the fullness. She had tensed at first, but had only felt the gentle pleasure/pain combination she occasionally felt during the first few thrusts.

She opened her eyes, staring at him, hands on his chest. She watched the pleasure on his face and the way he clenched the ropes that held him in place. His head was thrown back and she lowered until she could bite at his neck, teasingly.

"Kitten, I'm going to lose my mind soon." He rasped. "Please. Please."

She sat up and began to rock. It didn't hurt anymore, and between that and the unbelievably erotic sight and sound of Bones under her, her survival instincts were standing down. She found if she closed her eyes, however, the fear returned. So she kept them open, watching Bones' face.

His pleasure mounted quickly, now that he felt her around him, and he groaned "I'm about... to finish... bite me."

She leaned down and bit him hard, tasting his blood, and the next instant he was shuddering under her, raggedly repeating "I love you."

When he finished, she slid off him and quickly released his arms. He had his legs free in seconds, and then gathered her to him. "That was the most amazing thing..." he said, voice still low and rough.

She smiled, pleased, but he noticed the hesitation in her.

"Didn't you enjoy it, luv?" He asked, concerned. He pulled back enough to see her face.

"I did. I really did."

"Then what's wrong?"

"If I closed my eyes, the fear and the memories came back."

He hummed, shifting her back to his chest. "Might for a bit. But when they were open...?"

She considered, then answered "Watching and listening to you was one of the most erotic things I have ever seen."

"You can do that to me as many times as you want to, Kitten."

"What if... what if I'm broken and I can't stand it unless I am in control and you're tied up?" Fear colored her tone, and a hint of self loathing, as she said it in a rush.

"You can do that to me as many times as you want to, Kitten," he repeated. "To watch the pleasure on your face and feel you around me, I would let you do anything you want to do to me. I mean that." He pulled back to look into her eyes again. "If all you ask is to be in control? Small favor. I doubt you will need the restraints for long, really. But if you needed them to tolerate me inside you I will bind myself forever just as we have bound our hearts and lives."

Tears slid down her cheeks and she kissed him, the love welling inside her almost too great to bear. She knew, then, that perhaps she would bind him again but soon she wouldn't need them any longer. She loved and trusted Bones more than anyone else in the world.