They arrived back at Jed's and after Carlo's helped her out of the car he sauntered in ahead with grand proclamations of their victory. She strode in behind him, an image of some overdone queen of a long forgotten era in her ornate long flowing dress, slits to her thighs and since Carlos had chosen it, it also had a low plunging neckline that skimmed her breasts coming to a stop just shy of her stomach. It was more than overdone for a place like Jed's but she was playing a part here and it was one Carlos had taught her well. She turned to look at her people and all of the poor humans who were once her people, now they were minutes if not seconds away from becoming snack packs. Her eyes fell over the stunned gaping expressions of Richard, Seth and Santanico.
She inclined her head to them and went over to join Carlos as the chaos descended. It would seem she had missed her Gecko drama after all but she didn't want these innocent people to die.
"Stop" her voice rang out ultimate authority in her voice and the room came to a screeching halt and Carlos looked over at her confused.
"My queen, we need to finish this now, we need to do what is best for our people" he said a little shocked at her demand. She didn't speak out of turn usually, hadn't since those first few days. She had learned patience, learned it from the master, learned it from him.
"I know" she said sincerely and he smiled lovingly back at her "and I am". She kissed him tenderly and with the stake she had dropped into her hand from her long sleeve she plunged it deep into his chest before he even formed his next word. She would grieve him later in her own time, she hadn't loved him as such but that didn't mean she hadn't felt deeply for him. He had made her and her brother strong but he was not the person to lead their people. She knew he would have used her as his mouthpiece to lead their people in the way he thought was best but that was not who she was. She turned to the room "My people, if any of you have any doubt of my credentials, step forward now or get back to work. You will have your blood soon". Scott walked in grinning "It's done". She smiled "Excellent, dispense a measured dose to each, anything more than that would mean chaos for us all". Scott nodded and departed back outside. She strode by the Gecko's and Santanico, beckoning them all after her.
She sat in her seat across the table from them and faced them.
"What the fuck happened to you Kate?" Seth asked his face still a mask of shock.
"Carlos changed me without my permission the day you left me. Apparently, I had been a part of his plans all along. According to him I was, am a part of a powerful bloodline and he trained me until I was better than him and then some. I obeyed his every word for nine months, waiting for my opportunity to end it all. He wanted me to lead the culebras to supremacy. They do need to be led, he was right about that much but not like that and not by him. So here I am, since you rejected all desire to lead Santanico that is" Kate said looking at Santanico "I would like your help because all of you and Scott as well are the only people I have truly trusted in a very long time, but I fully respect any decisions you may make to leave, I will not make decisions for you".
"I'm out" said Santanico.
"Of course" Kate nodded "Take what you need from here, they owe you that much". Santanico smiled a small smile, nodded and left.
"Richard, I have bigger plans and you can have your slice of it, mostly I just want whats best for our people. If that's something you want, your devious planning skills would be very useful to me" she continued smiling at Richard.
"Sounds like you are more than capable of planning a rouse" he said with a smirk.
"Well coming from you that is a real compliment" she said.
"Sure, well for now at least, consider me in" he said and she nodded with a warm smile.
"Can I speak to you alone Kate?" Seth asked his face blank. This would be the hardest part for her and that was saying a lot, this was where she would find out if her love for him was mutual.
"Of course" she said and Richard nodded and left the room, leaving Seth and Kate alone face to face for the first time since he walked away from her those many months ago.
She stood and walked around the desk until she stood on front of him only inches from his warm body.
"This isn't you Kate" Seth said.
"I know, and this wasn't my choice, but one way or the other it is now my responsibility, and I want you by my side" she asked feeling strangely vulnerable under his intent gaze.
Seth shook his head before looking back up at her "Nah princess, you don't need me, you never have. You're tough, tougher than I ever was, in the way that mattered in any case".
"I will always need you Seth" she said as she pressed a soft kiss against his lips and pulled away a moment later her eyes closed savouring the taste of him "but I won't force you or anyone else". She opened her eyes meeting his and his eyes flicked across her face before pulling her to him returning her kiss and pushing her flush against the desk. She moaned eagerly into his mouth as she gripped him back. His hands slid up her dress and she felt him pause a moment as his fingers slipped across her garter belt on her right thigh, one that she had used to store the stake she dispensed Carlos with. She heard his throaty growl as his hands slipped up further but met no further fabric. His fingers grazed her slick sensitive flesh and she gasped "Now, Seth please". She watched as he pulled away to look at her and she saw him swallow "You sure?" he asked looking her over. "So fucking sure". He smiled and his lips met hers once more and she heard his zip. After everything she had been through she needed this. She felt him move the fabric of her dress to the side before he lifted her onto the desk pushing himself between her legs and buried himself inside her. Her legs wrapped around him a moment enjoying the feel of him inside her and she released him hooking them over his hips instead and he started pounding into her, erratic at first but soon it fell into a steady fast rhythm as she gripped him so hard, she was sure she must be drawing blood but she didn't smell any. As her climax hit her the need to bite him felt intoxicating but she held back. She had long since sworn she would never take that decision away from anyone. He rested his head against her shoulder panting slightly and she felt a soft kiss land on her collarbone as her body rode out the last of her high.
He pulled back from her a few minutes later, standing and zipping up his pant he took her hand as she slid off the desk to her feet. He took her face in his hands and kissed her "Yes Kate, I will stay, for you, with you". She smiled and slipped her hands over his "Good, because I meant it when I said I need you. I love you Seth Gecko".
