CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE –"Home is Where the Heart Is"

A Moonlight NC-17 Fanfic


Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Coraline and Hank looked at the man who had come to invade their peaceful imprisonment. Coraline tried for a damsel-in-distress look while Hank gave him the once-over and leaned back against the blocks again, watching with his usual disinterest.

The man was thin and tall with graying hair around the temples, but jet black on top. His mustache was black, lips pencil thin, eyes small and cruel-looking, and the black bushy eyebrows made him look somewhat Satanic.

"We seem to be missing a couple of prisoners," he said, stating the obvious.

"They said they had other things to do," Coraline said in a beguiling manner, which didn't seem to affect the man in the least. Hank snorted softly.

"Well, I think you two had better tell us where they went! We've noticed people poking around outside here. Of course they found nothing, but still it concerned me. Don't tell me they have escaped! That's impossible!"

Coraline scoffed at him and said haughtily, "I'd ask the two imbeciles you sent to guard us—they may have some idea!"

He gave the room a once over, then said, "I don't believe you, of course, but for now, I guess I'll have to go and ask them. I'll be back, though, be sure of that."

"Oh, I'll be sure!" Coraline said cheerfully.

He turned, walked up the stairs and slammed the door shut behind him. After several minutes of silence, Josef and Mick floated down from the ceiling.

"Thanks for covering our asses, Coraline," Mick said acerbically.

"Oh, no problem, but you owe me now, Mick. Unlock me."

"What do you think Josef?" Mick asked his friend.

Josef looked directly into Coraline's eyes. "If he lets you out of this, Coraline, I swear, you lay one hand on either Mick or Beth or Sarah, and your head will be extremely lonesome for your neck. Do you understand me?"

"Yes! I get it, Josef! Leave you all alone, and I'll be okay. It's a deal. Now let me go."

"Not so fast—I have one more requirement."

"Name it—it's yours—just let me go, please?" She was getting whiny about it, and Josef hated that.

"Okay, I'll name it—it's called 'The Cure.' I need to be human for six months or so. If we let you go, you give me that much. Is THAT a deal?"

She shrugged unhappily. "What's with all this wanting to be human? Geez, you'd think being a vampire was BAD or something!"

"I'm waiting," Josef said, almost tapping a foot.

"Fine! Now unlock me!"

"State the terms once again, Coraline. I want to be sure we're perfectly clear on this." Josef was being very stern with her and she didn't like it, but what could she do?

"I leave Mick and Beth alone and I give you six months' worth of the cure. Did I get it right?"

"Yeah. And one violation means what?"

"You kill me."

Josef looked at Mick. "I think she's got it. Let's just hope she still remembers ten minutes from now!"

"So you want me to unlock her?" Mick asked, exhaling and rubbing a hand over his face.

Josef was still looking at his friend. "It's your call, buddy, but I'd say we owe her that much, and I'll keep my men looking out for her. I swear, if she comes within a block of you and Beth, she's dead." He turned to Coraline. "Did you hear that? I MEAN it Coraline, and you know I never go back on my threats! In fact, I'd find it so entertaining to see you die that I'd probably throw you into the tar pits myself!"

"I GET IT! Okay? I understand! Just let me out of here!"

Mick looked once again at Josef. "You know we're going to live to regret this."

"I know—but then, she'll be dead, and we can celebrate with a fine single malt and a Cuban cigar, so what do we care?"

"True." Mick slowly approached Coraline and bent to unlock all of her restraints. When she was free, she jumped up and hugged him. "I'll never make you sorry, Mick! Go—be happy!"

"You too, Coraline, with the emphasis on GO!" Mick said with a hint of concern.

They all walked up the stairs and out of the door, leaving Hank behind to fend for himself. Josef and Mick quickly disappeared into the shadows of the night, and Coraline watched, then went off on her own.

Mick and Josef hailed the first cab they saw and took it to Josef's place. Sarah was home, and jumped enthusiastically into his arms as soon as he was inside the door. He took the time to kiss her thoroughly and hug her, then set her down and sent her out to the cab with money so Mick could pay the fare at his end. She hugged Mick and welcomed him back, then waved as the cab pulled away and scampered back to Josef.

"He says to call him tomorrow, Josef. I think he doesn't want to be bothered for the rest of the night."

"A man who understands his priorities," Josef said as he bent to kiss Sarah. That done, he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. "Oh, but one priority of mine is to have a shower!"

She touched his face. "I'll be waiting under the covers for you!"

Josef hurried, throwing the hideous clothes in a heap and dousing himself with warm water.

Mick tapped the cabbie on the shoulder and told him his address.

Getting into a security building without keys or fob leaves only one alternative, so Mick pushed the button that rang in their apartment, and in a moment the buzzer opened the door for him. He took the elevator up to their floor, and she was waiting as the doors slid open. She ran into the elevator and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him--more than kissing him--she was plastering kisses all over his face, and hugging him while she jumped up and down! He finally caught her arms and planted one on her that was serious enough to settle her down.

They kissed hungrily, like starving survivors of some terrible Holocaust, thankful to be in each other's arms again at last, unable to kiss hard enough or deep enough to satisfy the need raging in them. Mick tasted her sweetness, open-mouthed, nipping and nibbling then pressing closer for a full-on, nothing held back, honest make-out kiss. He loved that she returned every thrust of his tongue with one of her own. They kissed desperately, yet also conveyed their utter relief at being in each other's arms once again.

She pulled back and looked at him, long and searching, her eyes drinking in the beauty of the face she had seen every night in her dreams, the face she adored, the face that looked back at her now, seeing in her all of the pain and yearning she had endured, noticing the dark smudges of lost sleep beneath her beautiful eyes. He was really here! She couldn't believe it!

"Beth!" It was all he could say—he was choked with emotion.

She stood on her toes and and took his mouth as he bent to taste her soft lips once more. Kissing her deeply afforded him a view of how her life had been without him, and he saw clearly how she had ached for him as he had for her. They continued their kisses, urgent and wet, and he noticed that she was pounding him lightly on the chest with her open palms. He immediately understood that it was her way of assuring herself that he was truly here with her at last, in the flesh, solid and strong beneath her hands.

"Ohmigod, MICK!" She was practically pulling him over, bending him down to the level of her lips, and he reached out and quickly pulled on the elevator's emergency stop button, shutting them safely inside, blissfully and finally alone. He swiftly rucked up her long skirt, desperate to get to her, finding her ready for him.

"Ah, Beth! No panties!" he said huskily as he cupped her, hot and wet. Later, he would bury his face in the downy softness there, but for now, his need was more urgent than that. No time for fun and games.

"I had faith you'd come home today," she whispered as she deftly unbuckled his belt, then pulled the zipper of his fly down, pulling his jeans down to his knees. He pressed her into the corner of the elevator and picked her legs up, one in each hand, and with one well-aimed thrust, was deep inside of her, home at last!

She moaned out loud and pulled his face to hers again, and they kissed wild kisses of need and urgency, as he slammed her again and again against the wall of the elevator. This being an act more of desperation, raw need and raging hunger than tenderness, it was hot and fast, and it didn't take either one of them long to reach the point of no return. As she caught her breath and cried out, he held her firmly, hands under her bottom, watching her as she came, loving the look of her face in the throes of the passion he had incited in her, and as he watched, she pulled him over the edge with her. He tipped his head back, groaning with blessed release. He stopped for only a moment to catch his breath, then continued his loving assault on her, pushing into her, hard, pulling back, and then plunging again, forcefully, inexorably, feeling her quivering and squeezing him as her own pleasure peaked again and again. She couldn't help the cries that escaped her before his mouth came down once again on hers, crushing her lips with his own, claiming her with his tongue, sucking her very breath from her, stifling her screams of passion and release with his open mouth as he, himself, shook with the last shudders of his own bone-jarring climax.

When it was over, he felt her go limp, her head flopping onto his shoulder, and as he moved his arms up to hold her, she buried her face in his chest and cried.

He held her as she shook in his arms, feeling her let go of some of her pent up terror, smelling the fear and painful loneliness she had endured, making him cherish her even more as he wondered how ever to comfort her, but then remembering that this was the way back to sanity for her. For them, the act of loving was so much more than sex; it was healing and life-giving and as essential to them as shelter and nourishment. He wondered how he could ever reassure her that he wouldn't leave her again when he knew danger still lurked somewhere, but today was about reunion, and for now, he let her cry and hold him as he clung tightly to her, finding solace in her tears that washed him, and in her body which held him tightly inside of her still.

"Mick! I was so afraid I'd lost you!" she sobbed into his shirt, wetting and matting the hair on his chest.

"Ah, sweetheart, you'll never lose me! Never!" His words were filled with resolve—he'd die fighting to stay with her. Instinctively, he began to gently push himself back and forth inside of her again as he kissed her mouth, her tears, then her neck, and found himself pulling her top up, almost without thought, intent on having all of her, following the primal instinct that drove him inside of her as he fondled and gently suckled each swollen nipple. Sucking, kneading, laving, pulling at each nib lightly with his teeth, then taking as much of her into his mouth as he could, he reacted physically to her sighs and whimpers of pleasure, thrusting with even more intensity.

Her breasts were so sensitive from the pregnancy, and she loved that he knew exactly how to pleasure her gently when necessary. In fact, she thought, he knew her body better than she did, and he always managed to drive her to near insanity with his innate understanding of what she needed. Her sighs and sobs drove him on and on, and as he feasted on her breasts, he kept moving rhythmically inside of her until she was past reason, past thought, clinging to him, her life raft in a sea of pure, unadulterated bliss.

Mick stopped for a moment and looked at her, face moist with exertion. "Are you okay, honey? I don't want to hurt you—I'm having a hard time with control here." His voice came out in choppy breaths, and it thrilled her to know she could make him feel this way.

She laughed softly, breathing unevenly, looked into his eyes and shook her head. "You can't hurt me, Mick. I need you so badly, I don't think you could do anything to hurt me. Just love me, please." She sighed and laid her head back against the elevator wall. "Love me, Mick."

Holding onto each other tightly, they began once again to pick up the beat as they rocked together in celebration of hope, relief and the sheer joy of being able to have each other again! She pulled him in closer with her legs around his back, and welcomed his invasion, meeting him thrust for thrust as they joined body and soul, feeling the swell of intense pleasure come for them again until together they rode the tidal wave of pure bodily delight, melding once more, one into the other, two becoming one, and just for a moment held the illusion that nothing could ever again tear them apart.

As both of them came back to earth, they held each other close, breathing in each other's breath, he feeling her heart pounding for him, she feeling his lips caress her over and over.

Mick touched her cheek lightly while gazing into her eyes which were swimming with love for him. He laid his head on her breast and held back tears that threatened. He knew how she feared for his safety, and wanted so much to reassure her. Their suffering during his absence had been a brutal reminder of how desperately they needed each other.

"Never leave me again, Mick!" she cried, shaking his shoulders.

He kissed her fiercely, and breathed into her mouth, "NEVER!"

He held her, unable to let go, unable to even disengage, desperate to keep her this close to him always! He covered her face with kisses, nibbled at her lips, and they both calmed down in the aftermath of their fierce coupling. When they could breathe normally again, she smiled at him through her tears.

"Welcome home, Mick."

That's when he lost it and felt the tears well up in his own eyes, tears not shed in so many days' confinement, while physically hurting from wanting her.

"It's good to be home." He hugged her tightly, then reluctantly pulled himself out of her, helping her feet down to the floor, her skirt still bunched around her waist, but they wrapped their arms firmly around each other, enjoying the full-body contact, and clung, never wanting to let go. They could have stayed there for a while, but the harsh noise of the call buzzer went off above their heads, interrupting their reverie.

Mick bent to pull up his jeans. Beth untwisted her skirt, and it fell down to her ankles with one quick shake.

Mick caught her gaze and said aloud what they both knew: "We're not done yet—how about if we head for our bed and continue this?"

"You read my mind!" Her smile was so full of joy that he had to smile back.

Unable to tear his gaze from hers, he pushed the "stop" button back in by feel, heard the doors open, then picked her up, and strode purposefully into their apartment, stopping only for a second to kick the door shut behind them. He carried her to the bedroom and put her on the bed, looking at her with such love and longing that she felt the raw ache and need begin all over again inside of her.

"You're really here, Mick! Oh, honey! I prayed so hard for you!" She sounded breathless and thankful.

"I know—your prayers are what saved me! I'll tell you all about it later, but right now, I really need a shower!" He was peeling off his rank prison clothing, throwing it in a pile, as she pulled off her top and skirt, and in secons they were naked. He took her hand and led her to their big, new shower where he turned on all of the various shower heads and water spouts, making sure the water was very warm for her. She moved toward him, and he said, "Let me get the prison dirt off of me before I love you again, Beth."

"Let me help you with that," she said, taking shampoo into her hand and massaging his head as he bent toward her, groaning in pleasure as her fingers and fingernails worked their magic over his scalp, unfrazzling him in a way that was hers alone. He rinsed his hair off under the powerful rain spout and washed his face, while she got busy soaping him up and down, lifting his arms to lather him there where his hair grew thick, then running the bar across his broad chest and down to his navel, moving around him to scrub his back, using her nails to scratch his skin and then using her palms to rub the soap into his pores. She did the same with his butt, and he moaned out loud, putting an arm out against the wall to steady himself, feeling her massaging his glutes, stiff from the hard prison floor, and then breathing hard as he felt her running her nails over the skin of his bottom until gooseflesh popped out. He shivered once with pleasure.

"Ahhh, that feels so great!" It was half spoken, half groaned, and it spurred her on, knowing she was pleasing him.

She then turned him around and began her work again, massaging as she soaped him in front; he needed her touch there so badly that he shivered again as she continued to wash him. The rain was pounding down on both of them, warm and soothing as she ran the bar down his legs, then washed his feet, even between his toes.

She set the bar of soap on the floor after gathering a huge cloud of lather from it, and she then began a slippery ascent up one of his legs with both hands, ending at the point of his inner thighs, pushing one hand between his legs and pressing her fingers firmly into the flesh behind his scrotum. She stopped there and looked up at him, noticing that he was now holding his breath; he was also holding onto one of the soap brackets, as if the pleasure might overcome him and he felt the need to steady himself. Her right hand was still soapy, and she ran it slowly back up behind his scrotum, continuing a slippery journey up between his cheeks, pressing lightly as she slid her fingers all the way to the top where his lower back met her hand. He shivered again and began to ache with need; this was terribly erotic and he was surprised and delighted at her ingenuity and total command of his body.

She continued, seeing his gratification, this time starting at the top of the crevice, and beginning a slow, sliding descent with her fingers, which caressed him in a surprising, slippery fantasy kind of way that had his stomach in a knot of agony and ecstasy.

Seeing him reacting with such obvious enjoyment caused her to begin again, ascending from the bottom up, then back down again. While her other hand held his scrotum, gently kneading him, she repeated the motion up and down his backside several more times, sliding over and back, up and down, touching him more intimately than he'd ever been touched before, her fingers daring to caress him at the tender point of his most hidden place. He moaned out loud.

"Ah! This pleases you my love?" she asked in a low, sultry voice.

"Omigod—nobody has ever done that to me!" His breath was choppy and his face was contorted.

She laughed softly, looking up at him and he looked down at her, his eyes penetrating, swimming with arousal and surprise.

"You mean I found virgin territory on Mick St. John? The perpetually cool vampire?"

He nodded, saying breathlessly, "You did. You have gone where nobody has dared go before."

Still holding his heavy jewels in one hand, she brought her other hand around to the front to caress him,grabbing him firmly, pulling and pumping until he thought he could take no more.

"OmiGOD!" he shouted as he held on tightly to the raining shower head above him to keep his balance, and slowly he felt himself let go of every inhibition and let her have him completely. In her hands he was safe and, in this case, thrilled beyond words. She was some kind of sexual savant he thought briefly, as he came easily under her touch.

Soon a warm spray of water hit him, waking him from his state of bliss.

"So, you're telling me the truth? I've actually found a way to pleasure you that's new?"

"Oh, yeah. Omigod, Beth. I don't know where you got your skills, but I'm grateful."

"Hah!" she laughed. "My sexual experiences have been very few compared to yours, my seductive vampire lover! But I'm terribly honored to be the first at something!"

He muttered under his breath, something about first at everything, but she was busy now with the handy pull-out showerhead sprayer. She slowly sprayed every inch of his body, inside and out, from his neck to his feet, turning him around, watching the suds slide down his gorgeous form and swirl as they were sucked into the drain.

When he was clear of suds, she knelt in front of him, eyeing hungrily the object of her desire. She then put her arms around him grasping his cheeks, one in each hand, allowing her fingers to stray just slightly inside into the hidden place, and then she heard him gasp as she pulled him forward into her mouth, accepting as much of his very long, very hard, erection as she could reasonably swallow, lightly pinching and squeezing him from behind as she pulled and pushed him in and out of her mouth, slightly grazing him with her teeth now and then, paying homage to him in the most intimate of ways, and as he gave himself over to her ministrations, he at last let go of the lingering vestiges of terror that had haunted him, imagining everything bad going down the drain, while he found solace and delight in the mouth and hands of his wife.

Logan and Ben Talbot had been in contact every day for several days.

"We went out there, Logan, but we couldn't find anything but old outbuildings and weeds and overgrown brush! There was no place above ground that we didn't look. However, I had a lead from someone who used to work on "The X-Files," and there is a sort of bunker out there, or a cave of some kind that they used for one or two shoots. We saw no evidence of it, but it's possible that it's overgrown now."

"I'm telling you, man, it's where they are—I just have a feeling. And there's been too many people wandering around out there. Wait a sec—I just backed my recorder up a couple of hours. I took a break a while ago—let me look and see if anything happened while I was gone."

Ben knew it would take him only a minute with his vampire visual abilities, so he simply waited on the other end of the line.

"Whoa! Got something! A man, not the two who usually go out there, but somebody in a dress suit showed up at the same place."

"So he's at the same coordinates you gave me a few days ago, and we found nothing there."

"Right-O. He disappears, and get this—he comes back out, disappears, and a minute or two later, I see three vampires fleeing the scene! Three!"

"Can you tell which vampires they are?"

"I'm backing up one more time. Yeah. I know who they are. Can I trust you if I tell you?"

"You can. I'm on your side, Logan. I don't want Josef or Mick harmed in any way."

"Well, you didn't say Coraline, and she's one of them."

"My only concern with her is that she stays away from Beth. Otherwise, I don't care. Who are the other two?"

"Josef and Mick. They go off into the trees first, then Coraline comes along. I'd say Mick and Josef probably hopped a cab and got home. Who knows where Crazy Cora is?"

"Thanks a lot, Logan. I'm going to have teams watching Josef and Mick in case anyone tries to get to them again."

"I feel better already! I'm going to stop watching this satellite feed constantly now, but I'll leave it recording. Who knows—maybe some other crazy stuff is still going on out there!"

"I really appreciate your help, Logan. I'll be in touch. Call if you notice anything untoward."

"Will do. 'Bye."

Ben walked over to his window and looked out. The lights of the city were shining in the black backdrop of night. Another lonely night ahead, and all he could think of now was that Beth was getting her happy reunion with her husband. God! He hoped that guy loved her! Beth pregnant! His feelings for her, though, made him hope she was right about him, because above all else, he wanted her safe.

He shook his head and rubbed his eyes with a thumb and finger. As much as he hated the thought of her being with St. John, he loved her enough to let them be. He loved her enough to watch out for both her and the man she had married. In fact, he loved her enough to let her go. His mind told him that, but his heart wasn't yet ready to accept what his mind knew was right.

Josef and Sarah spent several hours catching up on things as they lounged on their satin sheets, talking about her new friendship with Beth, talking about Josef's captivity, Mick's brush with death, and in between topics, enjoying a lot of sex. Josef was happy to hear that she was looking forward to having a baby like Beth was, and he couldn't help the meandering of his thoughts as he pictured himself planting his seed deep inside of her. Every time he saw that picture, it gave him a blue-steel boner, but Sarah was oblivious, chatting away, happy to be in bed with him, but happier still to have someone to talk to!

He focused once again on their one-sided conversation. Beth, it seemed, was extremely happy to be having Mick's child, and Sarah confided that she couldn't wait to be a mother herself, and wondered if he'd been able to track down any leads on the cure while he was imprisoned.

He took her hand in his and looked at it. "Yes, as a matter of fact. I got Coraline's word that she would give me enough of this cure to stay human for six months. I'm hoping that's long enough to make a baby."

Sarah hoped so too, but said, "That's such good news! Honey—how soon can you get this cure?"

He scrutinized her but saw nothing in her that wasn't completely enthusiastic about this plan. "So—you're sure you wouldn't mind having my baby Sarah?" He looked her straight in the eyes, and saw them smiling, just as her mouth was.

"I want to have your baby, Josef. I want it very badly! I've always hoped to be a mother, and I think you would make the BEST daddy in the world!"

"Wow! I'm flattered!" He smiled at her enthusiasm. "It's no small undertaking, you know, raising a child."

"Oh, Beth and I talked about all of the ups and downs of pregnancy, and once that's over, we just be parents! I can do this! I want to do it for you, Char. . .Josef!"

All the talk about getting pregnant only made Josef more and more horny, and by dawn, he was actually exhausted and ready to sleep many hours uninterrupted in his freezer! He told Sarah he'd take her to any doctor she wanted to get a prescription to help her stop smoking, but she said she had already gotten patches at the pharmacy like Beth told her to, and showed him that she was wearing one now.

"Good for you, honey! I'm glad you and Beth had so much time to talk! Sounds like you got some very good advice from her! She's a very smart lady!"

"Oh, I know! We had a good time, but it will be better next time we get together because we won't be all worried and crying about you and Mick!"

"Aw, Sarah! I'm touched!" he said as he her brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. "I've never made a girl cry before, except maybe in bed!"

Sarah hit him. "Don't you be bragging to me about all of your conquests now, Mister! Those are over! From now on, it's me! And I am going to make you so happy you'll forget all the rest!"

"I have no doubt about that, my angel," he said, rolling onto his side and kissing her deeply as he fondled her breast. "Maybe I'll get to the freezer a little bit late today."

"Mmmmmm." she murmured against his lips, "maybe you will!"

Hank still sat alone in the dark, wondering if anyone would even remember he was there. The door slammed open again, and down the stairs came the man in the suit, followed by Mutt and Jeff.

The suited one shouted in surprise, "WHAT! Now we're down to ONE? What in the hell happened to your girlfriend?"

"She decided to leave too. I guess your restraints aren't all that difficult for crafty vampires to escape. I'm new, though, so I can't get out of mine."

The suit looked at the Two Stooges. "Do you have ANY idea HOW this happened?"

They looked at each other, then shrugged at him. The tall one spoke, "We ain't got no idea, Mister. No idea at all. They was here the last time we fed 'em, which was about six or so, and now they ain't here no more."

"Very profound." He turned on his heel. "Follow me. We'll have to deal with you two somehow."

Logan happened to be watching the satellite feed as he was looking up things on the 'net. He saw the suit and the two villiage idiots come and go and wondered what that was about. He called Ben, but only got voice mail, so he left a message about what he had just seen. Then he decided it was time for some Guitar Hero.

Mick held Beth in their usual spoon position after hours of purposeful love making. Like always, they could never find a state of complete satisfaction. The crazy thing was that no matter how long or how often they made love, they always craved more. It was a serious phenomenon that they didn't understand, and couldn't tell anyone, fearing they'd be thought dangerously unbalanced, if not just terribly over-sexed!

"Do you think we miss the biting? Is that why we have to do it all of the time? We're trying to make up for that?" she asked him in all sincerity.

He thought for a minute, playing with her hair. "Honestly? To me it doesn't matter anymore. The biting, I mean."

"But I thought you were wanting to bite me in the elevator today—you said you were losing control."

"I was, but just because I was so desperately wanting you. We aren't like other people, Beth! We need to be intimate pretty often or we get kind of—out of control, I think. I see it in you too!"

"Well, you're right there. I don't know what I'd have done to you if you hadn't just done what you did today! I get really desperate without you, Mick. I WAS really desperate!"

"I know—I can tell when you feel that way--I'm exactly the same, but it's not 'vampire' sex I'm sharing with you, Beth. It's—hard to explain—it's more pure—more loving than just 'getting off.' I really don't want to bite you! I just want to be deep inside of you forever."

"Is that love? Or is that fear of never having what you really want or need?"

"It's definitely love. I'm not afraid I'm going to bite you or turn you anymore, and I'm really not missing biting you!"

She gave him a skeptical look.

"I'm telling you the truth! That biting thing was fun when we first were together, and I wasn't used to how we made love, and then I started to feel how deeply we were loving each other whenever we had sex, and now I just want it always—the way we are together, it's so amazing. Beth, I never thought I could feel so completely in tune with anyone, body and soul, and somehow the biting doesn't fit into the way I want to make love to you. I want it to be more than just crazy vamp sex."

"I understand that, Mick. Thanks for being so honest. I sometimes worry that with the baby and being afraid of hurting us, that it's not good for you."

He sat up behind her and turned her around so he could look into her eyes. "See what's in my eyes, Beth," he said, and she saw such terrifying love in his eyes that she drew in her breath. "This is how I feel about you. There has never been anyone else for me—and there never will be anyone else who can make me feel the way you do. My God—after what you did to me in the shower today? Have no doubt that this is the BEST sex I've EVER had—EVER!"

She smiled. "I guess I can see that," she said softly. "It's the same for me."

"I know. I know it every time I'm around you. You're drawn to me like I am to you, like we're two opposite poles of a magnet, and when we're near each other, we can't deny the pull." He settled back down behind her. "This is it, Beth. I can't imagine not having this love with me forever."

"I want to be with you forever, Mick! I don't ever want to leave you!"

"I know, honey. We have a lot of time to decide that, you know." They were quiet for a long time.

"This is what I missed the most," she said softly as she played with his fingers.

"Me holding you?" he whispered as he breathed in the scent of her, the sweet aroma of their lovemaking, the smell of her blood pulsing strongly within her, listening to the beat of her heart and even more amazing, the beat of the tiny heart deep inside her.

"Uh-huh. Just being close, safe in your arms." She nestled in closer and he held her tightly. Soon he felt her nod off into a much-needed peaceful sleep.

Holding her like this, in the calm after the many storms of passion, Mick felt overwhelmed with emotion, and as it grew, he felt something buried deep inside of him come loose—something he had held within him for so long that it was simply part of him, a cold, icy thing that he'd grown so used to that he didn't even remember it was there, and he didn't realize until now what a hold it had had on him. After it broke away, he felt it begin to disintegrate into tiny particles that melted, slowly becoming warm fingers of hope and contentment that spread all through him. He felt new without the cold, hard thing in him, and for the first time in years, was in such a state of blissful peace that he fell sound asleep next to her, so sound that he dreamed vividly—visions of holding a baby on his lap as he had his morning coffee and ate a donut! He saw himself with Beth, and they were sharing dinner, then having a picnic where she fed him strawberries on a blanket in the sand. He even dreamed of sex—the kind of sex that would get Beth pregnant again!

He awoke for only a moment, startled, remembering his dreams. As a vampire, he had never dreamed during sleep—until now—and in this fantasy trip his subconscious had just taken, he realized, he had dreamed he was human.

Not wanting the freezer as much as he wanted her next to him, he fell asleep again, dreaming dreams of growing old.

When he woke, the sun was just beginning its ascent onto day. Beth had turned over so her face rested against his chest. Her breathing was slow and even, as was her heartbeat, and he knew she slept deeply. He dared not move, but watched her slumber, feeling her breath on his skin, and once again the most powerful surge of love flooded through him, so profound and so swift that it made his eyes sting. He knew he had never been this happy, not before he was turned and certainly not after, but it was startlingly apparent once again that he had achieved what others only wish for: perfect peace and contentment, right here, right now. In his arms he held his family, and it was all he had ever wanted, all he ever would want, and nothing or nobody could take him away from them!

She nestled further into him and made little purring sounds as she began to wake up. He brushed his hand over her silky hair.

"I love you, Mick St. John," she said, voice husky with sleep. "I love you with all of my heart." She moved her head back to gaze deeply into his eyes, allowing him to search the depths of her, finding truth in every word she had spoken, not knowing she had one more thing to add: "I will love you until my last breath, and I will never, ever assume again that we have all the time in the world."

She put her head back against his chest, and Mick cradled it with the palm of his hand. No, nothing would ever take him away from them again; nothing but death.
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