The suite we had been allocated was one of four penthouse suites on the top floor. As we entered I saw a small foyer and three shallow steps leading down into the main room. Directly in front of us were two large windows and William walked over to one and looked out. I could see the lights of the city spread out in the distance but directly in front of the hotel was an area of what appeared to be woodland. In the centre of the city?
"What is that?" I asked, surprised.
"That's Central Park" he explained. "It's about 800 acres of parkland created in the 1860's when the city was being laid out."
He turned to watch Alex exploring the suite. She had jumped up onto one of the two enormous beds.
"Wow!" she said excitedly. "A whole bed each!"
William put his arms around her. "Oh no you don't Miss!" he murmured . I didn't bring you all this way so that you could sleep in a separate bed!"
"The very idea!"
"She was joking!"
He sat down beside her on the bed and she looked up at him seriously.
"Does this mean I'll have to take security guards with me if I want to go out exploring, or to do a little shopping?" she asked.
"I'm afraid so yes" He said. "The Authority has put out quite a lot of publicity about this visit and not every vampire agrees with their goals as you well know! Ulrich has insisted that security is tight. I think he's afraid that if anything happened to you I'd stop at nothing to get you back, that I'd simply kill anything that stood in my way, and with Lilith's strength they wouldn't be able to stop me." He gave me a look that was so like Ulrich that I almost laughed. "The bad publicity would be disastrous!"
She lifted her hand and began to stroke his thick dark hair. "And would you?" she asked quietly.
There was a long pause and I waited, intrigued for his answer. "Yes" he whispered. "I'm afraid I probably would."
"Interesting..."
He sighed. "What now?"
"You're such an enigma to me do you know that? In some ways you're so weak and in others so strong. You would never think of using my strength to increase your personal power and influence or to get your own way and yet you would not hesitate to use it to protect a mortal."
"And why do you suppose that is?" he asked quietly.
"Because you're a foolish romantic?"
I could feel his smile. "Try again."
I sighed. "Okay... because you love her!" I couldn't keep the sarcasm out of my tone.
"There! Now is that so hard to believe? You of all people should know what she has done for me."
"Oh I know! I haven't forgiven her yet!" I thought for a moment. "You said that Dan had been hurt trying to protect Azaria?"
"Yes, that's right. There were about five of them, they threw a silver net over her and then beat him to the ground. He was knocked unconscious but as soon as he came round he told the police what had happened and gave them my name, obviously hoping that I'd be able to do something to help."
"Which you did!"
"Well yes...but I had help fortunately."
"But why would he do that, risk himself for her. Was that because he loves her?"
"I'd like to think so. He's certainly very fond of her. Some men are like that, they feel they need to protect their women...a little old fashioned maybe but I can hardly fault him for that now can I?"
"But he must be aware that she's far stronger than him surely?"
He laughed "Of course he is! He's not stupid. Besides, his brother Chris is dating my old friend Claudia so he knew exactly what he was getting into. I guess his protective instinct just cut in!"
I thought about this while William explained to Alex about the Reception which Ulrich had arranged for tomorrow night. She seemed horrified at the thought and immediately began planning a shopping expedition. William calmed her down and suggested a nice relaxing bath.
About ten minutes later we were lying in an enormous semi-circular bath soaking in the hot water, William talking idly to Alex and gently stroking her stomach She was lying against him, her head on his shoulder. She had poured some kind of scented oil into the bath and her skin felt slippery under William's hand. I relaxed as Alex began to rub soap into his skin until suddenly I heard my name mentioned
"Lilith showed me a memory" he said softly. "A memory of you washing me in the shower at Darius's house."
There was a pause in the gentle stroking. "You didn't remember that?" she asked softly.
"No" he answered softly. "Those few days are almost a complete blank, still. I don't think I want to remember. But she showed me that."
I remembered what he was talking about, we had been in the shower and I had wanted to demonstrate her fear of him. I knew that his image had hurt him and I felt a little ashamed of my actions now.
He turned and looked into her eyes. "I saw you kneeling at my feet, cleaning the blood off my legs. I could see the fear in your eyes." He leaned forward and kissed her gently at first and then harder, more passionately. "Promise me something" he murmured. If anything should happen, if I should become ...dangerous, promise me you'll stay away this time. I couldn't bear to see that again, to know that I had hurt you would kill me Alex."
What was this? He'd just finished telling me how much he loved her and owed her for what she had done for him and now he was warning her off? He knew she was probably the only person who had the ability to help him hold me back and yet he still told her to stay away.
"Why on earth would you say that?"
"Not now!"
"Okay, I promise." She said.
Even I could hear the insincerity in her voice! Surely William realised that she didn't mean it?
He pulled her closer and kissed her again, lifting her up on top of him, massaging the slippery bath oils into her skin and slid his hand down between their slippery bodies shifting slightly to allow his iron hard member to slide up into her. I let myself relax into his mind, soaking up his pleasure in her.
Several hours later I was totally relaxed as flashes of the last few hours presented themselves for examination. William and Alex lay on the tangled sheets, their bodies locked together, entwined and exhausted. He had held back, teasing and stroking her until I wondered how he could possibly stand it. His arousal was so intense that I expected him to take her roughly, savagely even but he did not. To my astonishment he was gentle as always and moved slowly and tenderly until she screamed and pleaded for more.
They were kneeling upright on the bed, William holding her tightly in his arms, her head laid back on his shoulder, when the alarm on his phone began to sound. I could feel the rumbling in his chest as he growled and snarled over her naked body and the deep pulsing surge of pleasure that poured through me at his climax.
They lay in each others arms for a few minutes while the shrilling of the alarm grew louder and more insistent.
"Will you please turn that thing off!" muttered Alex weakly, pulling the quilt up over her body.
William reached over to the table and picked up the phone, seconds later the infuriating noise stopped.
"Oh thank you!"
"I'm afraid this means I have to leave" he said, nuzzling gently at Alex's recumbent body.
"That's okay" she murmured sleepily, you've worn me out completely you...animal you!" She smiled up at him and he leaned down to kiss her gently before heading across the suite for his clothes. By the time he was dressed and ready for his meeting she was fast asleep. He smiled down at her for a moment before slipping quietly out of the suite and pulling the door closed gently behind him.