Anik's plan had worked. Clearly Kishan hadn't heard much of the plan or not understood what they were talking about or maybe as Kelsey liked to think he was so scared about Kelsey's retributions he didn't dare speak out. At the end of the day both boys had swallowed Kadam's story about there being too much suspicion about the amount of meat he was ordering in causing the boys to have to hunt to find there own food.

Kadam had driven them all out away from the house to an area of 'better pickings' as Kishan had called it.

The boys were going to collect enough food to last them for a while and bring it back with them, while not precisely to Kadam's plan it still left both him and Kelsey with a few hours to kill.

He had booked them both into a hotel with the most beautiful little restaurant. But Kelsey had only had a glimpse of it as they deposited there bags in there room before Anik took her hand.

"Miss Kelsey, I was wondering if perhaps you would like to go on a date with me"

Kelsey smiled.

"Well Mr Kadam I would very much like too indeed"

They just walked around the town up to the market where the pungent spices made her sneeze a few times. As Kadam was obviously a man with money they attacked a lot of attention from traders but they just passed through relaxed that there was not a tiger padding around them.

He bought ice creams and Kelsey felt that she was back home in America out on a first date with some boy from school. It was strange the date this the one time they could talk freely but neither felt the need too.

As dusk approached they went back to the hotel and into that little restaurant called The Mango Flower. Now they were inside they started talking.

"This has been the loveliest day I have had in a long while" she said.

Anik smiled raising his glass in a taost.

"Let us hope there will be more"

"I'll drink to that" she said raising her own. She perused the menu glancing up occupationally at Anik. He seemed intent on his own menu but she realised his eyes where not moving and he was twisting his napkin in his hands. Folding it shut drew his attention to her.

"What's wrong?"

Anik shifted a little uncomfortable.

"I've been thinking, thinking about how to sort our errr stripy problem"

Kelsey chuckled as she took another sip of wine.

"and?" she coaxed gently.

"Well" he tugged at his collar "Kelsey you mut understand that I have no intention to go through with this, it's just the only way I can think of getting rid of them is well.." he twisted his napkin again. Kelsey clocked on to his thought and found she too was uncomfortable.

"I won't Kelsey, I'm not a murderer, I'm not a killer. I feel so awful for thinking it" the atmosphere around there little table changed. The sombre reminder of what they were up against tainted it like blood in water.

"Anik, do not worry. I've thought about it too but I wouldn't do it, you know I wouldn't. I felt terrible for even considering it. But I realised why. We're desperate and desperate people can do diabolical things we mustn't let that happen to us Anik."

The relief on Anik's face made him look ten years younger.

"I am so glad you haven not judged me Kelsey, I love that about you. The way you can look past things look deeper, like one of those art critiques you can look past the mess to see the truth beneath" he pause his thumbs stroking her hands.

Kelsey couldn't take it any more.

"Shall we get dinner later?" she asked. Anik simply nodded and they quietly left the restaurant. They where in the largest suit at the top of the hotel it had a more rustic feel feel then the mansion but the homely touches were welcoming to Kelsey not that she really cared at that moment. The two of them alone for the night as free as they could be. They could take there time...savour every moment.

She entered the room first breathing in the cool air. She was nervous. The first time with Anik had been spur of the moment there instincts and desires taking over but tonight was carefully planned. Kelsey couldn't help but think about how Anik had three hundred years more experience then her in the bedroom. She worried that she would disappoint him this time.

"Kelsey? Is everything all right?" he asked coming through the door behind her. She realised she was standing staring into space.

She nodded worried her voice might give away her nerves. It didn't fool Anik.

"What's wrong?"

She turned to look at him, he'd undone some of the buttons on his shirt while he had climbed the stairs. She remembered that night in the gym. She started aching to see more of him.

"It's silly" she said shaking her head a little. "I mean we've made love before it's just this time is different. I" she shuffled her feet "That was the first time I had ever had sex and well I don't know if I can please you again"

She didn't know what to expect from her admission. Recently she had been so confident in herself and decisive without even trying, It was like a new Kelsey had been released from hiding but now the old wimpy girl was back she even felt the slight prickle of tears, she blinked them away.

"Kelsey, that is not something you should ever have to worry about." He closed the gap between them and took her in his arms.

"I love you Kelsey, just being with you is enough. Just you being yourself. I don't want you to try to be a sex goddess or what ever it was you were thinking, not if you are not comfortable" he gave her the softest kiss on the forehead that sent shivers cascading down her.

She closed her eyes drinking in his scent so familiar now but still so intimate.

"You do what you want" he whispered into her ear.

A new thrill went through her. Since that night that felt so long ago now she had imagined what they might do the next time they could be tiger free and now she could.

Standing on her tip toes she reached his mouth and kissed him very softly. Her hand twisting into his hair.

It was not long until the kiss was more sensual. Kelsey started unbuttoning the last bit of Anik's shirt. It was soon off him and he threw it carelessly aside.

She guided Anik's hands to the zip at the back of her dress, Anik kissed her neck as he unfastened it finding a particularly sensitive area where the strap had been. Kelsey's breathing was hard to control as he pushed the straps away allowing her dress to fall.

Anik paused in his attentions noticing her underwear. He was lost for words caught up in the romance of the whole thing. Kelsey though was back to kissing him on the mouth pushing him back towards the bed. He was caressing her his deft hands gliding over her pausing only in the areas she was most sensitive. He was sat on the edge of the bed with her standing over him in silvery lace underwear. Any forebodings she had had now evaporated.

She undid his belt in-between kisses.

"Lie back" she whispered.

"You don't have to Kelsey-"

"I know but I want to"

She pulled off his trousers so he was naked before her. She leaned on top of him and kissed her way down his neck, his chest and his naval her hands stroking his thighs.

When she made contact he convulsed, he gripped the sheets panting at her attentions. She kept it up his breathing becoming more and more frantic until his raised himself.

"Stop please" he gasped, she did looking up at him. He pulled her into him kissing her all over.

"May I?" he asked still a little out of breath, she nodded excitement bubbling inside her.

The swapped places Anik stood over her untying the bow at the back of her bra. Kelsey pulled it off dropping it next to her on the bed, Anik dealt with the panties.

She was aware of how much her chest rose and fell with her breathing but soon that didn't concern her at all.

She relished his attentions sinking back into the bed gripping the covers like he had done until he had her groaning with pleasure. She stopped him just before she climaxed.

He sat next to her tracing her side with one of his hands, she pushed herself up so they were sat on a level then she straddled him.

She rocked against him there chests rubbing against one another her arms on his shoulders her hands in his hair getting faster. She felt his hands on her hips and felt the climax growing with in her.

Then it hit, she shuddered and jerked as the waves of pleasure cascaded through her there foreheads touching.

"Anik" she choked out which sent him over the edge. She felt him with in her that caused her own orgasm to last even longer.

They collapsed on the bed breathing like they had just run a marathon Anik held Kelsey to him. Kelsey pulled the sheet over them as the fans were causing her bare skin to chill.

Propping her head on her arm she looked deep into Anik's eyes.

"Kelsey, I really do think I'm falling in love with you" he whispered.

"I don't know what love is, but when I'm with you I have a pretty good idea of what it must be like" she replied.

Anik chuckled brushing some stray hairs off her face.

"Yeah that was a bit cheesy wasn't it"

"Just a little" he smiled. "But I do mean it"

"I know you do and so do I" she said caressing his cheek.