Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.
Lilith took a seat on the transport by a Ferengi woman, and subsequently raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"What are you doing here?"
The woman smiled. "I had an operation on Vulcan and now I'm returning home."
She simply nodded and turned away, and she almost felt a twinge of pity for her and the other passengers. Little did they know they would be intercepted by a Dominion vessel in less than two hours.
Lilith glanced around the vessel and saw mostly traders, merchants, the like. Several Ferengi were avoiding the eye of the woman beside her, who was also fully clothed. Two Bolians were deep in conversation in a corner, and she even saw a lone Vulcan woman on the other side of the passenger cabin.
There weren't many passengers on the vessel all told, no more than fifteen. After running through standard take off routine, the vessel achieved orbit and took off through space.
The Vulcan kept glancing at her, almost suspiciously, and Lilith didn't know why. During her two-day stay on Vulcan, she had avoided the natives as much as possible. Their blood was disgusting and metallic, and the smell coming off of them reflected that. It burnt her nose, which is why she had chosen a seat far away from the overly logical creature.
And then there were the Ferengi. They all smelled like their home planet, damp and moldy. It displeased her, but thankfully the woman beside her didn't smell at all like the men. She actually smelled sweeter, like a rose in the rain. Lilith smiled and turned back to her.
"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."
The woman smiled. "I'm Ishka. And you are?"
"Lilith. Lilith Hernandez."
"That's a very pretty name. Tell me, why were you on Vulcan?"
She shook her head. "Personal reasons."
Ishka nodded and changed the subject. For the next two hours (much to the interest and perhaps displeasure of the men), she and Ishka were deep in conversation about business and politics. She found herself agreeing with the Ferengi woman's stance on gender equality. She remembered the idiotic tendencies of men on her home planet, from Mesopotamia to Rome to Britain to the New World. Though men tasted sensationally delicious, they could be pig-headed at times. Thankfully, her old master was much more understanding and generous. Yes...Lucifer was nothing like human males...
Her reverie was broken off as the alarm sounded, and she had to contain a smile. Then, after half an hour of evading the Jem'Hadar, the Dominion finally boarded the vessel and took everyone captive.
She was pleased to see their Vorta beam over as well to explain procedure to them. They would all be taken to a Dominion internment camp, and as long as they cooperated, they would not be harmed.
Lilith sat there and controlled her breathing. The Vorta, who called himself Yulgren, was a thin man, thinner than most Vorta, from his frame to his face. And she had to contain herself; even though he was standing a good ten feet away from her, she could still smell him. His smell was...oh, it was irresistible, and it took everything in her power not to jump up, pin him against the wall and drink him dry. No...there would be time for that later. She made sure to make eye contact with him whenever he glanced her way, which she was happy to see he did more and more the longer he talked.
He decided to transport them all to the holding cells aboard his ship and destroy the vessel. He informed them that they would all be questioned individually.
"You all have nothing to worry about. Simply tell me your name and destination, and we won't hurt you. I regret having to take such measures with you all, but I have to follow procedure."
Lilith's eyes glittered in satisfaction at the news that she would have some time alone with Yulgren. She could sense that he would be harder to turn like Keevan, but no injuries were holding her back this time. And she had feasted on Royan, Kilana, and the others on the planet far away from here in Cardassian space, so her powers had increased exponentially with every kill.
But something about Yulgren made her think that he wouldn't be just a two-week pleasure feast. No...this one was a little more special, and she knew her time with him would be most pleasing.
As she lined up with the others to be transported, she made sure to stare at him. She saw his eyes furrow slightly, and she could feel a bond starting to form, like the first small thread of a spiderweb. That first thread connected them and would only get stronger with time.
Soon, he'd be begging just to stay in her presence, and the thought made her smile as she felt the tingle of the transporter beam.
…
He stared at the cowering human with satisfaction and stepped even closer to her. Something about her was different, he could tell, and the memory of the shock he had felt at her gaze was still fresh in his mind. Every time he caught her eye, he felt a shadow of that shock. But the strangest thing was that he rather liked the feel of it...
He shook those thoughts from his mind and concentrated on his job.
"What is your name, human?"
She looked up at him with fearful eyes, and another tingling shock ran through him, and he shivered slightly. As he thought about how delightful it felt, reason broke through and he wondered why he was feeling this odd sensation at her gaze. It didn't make sense, and he frowned slightly.
"Lilith," she responded.
He tilted his head and lifted her chin, but he avoided her eyes. Rather, he stared at a spot on her forehead.
"Lilith. Tell me...where were you headed?"
"I was on my way to Starbase 334, near Ferenginar."
He nodded. "I see. I know you probably want to send final messages to your loved ones back home, but I will not allow it. I apologize."
She looked pained for a moment. "I...I don't really have anyone...back home I mean. It's not like I'll be missed..."
He felt a small twinge of pity for her, but he simply smiled and stroked her chin. Humans fascinated him, and he looked forward to getting to know this one. Friendship, kinship and strong relationships intrigued him as well, and he wanted to develop...something with someone. Perhaps this human was the answer.
"Lilith...I'm sorry that you don't have anyone. The truth is, I don't have anyone either. Perhaps we could...get to know each other."
She looked up at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"
He leaned forward and ignored the sensational tingling that flooded his body as he held her gaze. "I mean...perhaps we could take steps toward becoming friends. I'd like to be your friend, Lilith. And maybe if we develop a friendship...your time in the internment camp might not be so bad."
She stared at him with wide eyes. "Ok...I could try to be your friend...you're Yulgren, right?"
"That's right, Lilith. I'm sure you know friends spend time with each other, so I'll be back tonight and we'll talk. How does that sound?"
She nodded and threw him a small, scared smile. He grinned back and strode from her cell.
Once he was gone, she laughed and laid back on the hard bench she had been sitting on. Already, he would start to turn to her, but it would not be nearly as easy as Borath. She would have to earn every drop of Yulgren's blood. But a plan formed in her head and she concentrated.
…
He sat alone in his office, reading over everything he had gathered about the prisoners. The room was so silent that he could hear a pin drop. The silence pressed in on him, and he hummed (quite out of key) to himself just to fill the eerie emptiness.
Yulgren...
He stopped humming abruptly and frowned. He realized he had been reading Lilith's entry over and over again without really absorbing anything.
Oh, Yulgren, my love, please...
A strange whisper nagged the back of his mind, and he set down the PADD and rubbed his tired eyes.
Please, love, come back to me. I know what you desire...
As his mind processed those words, he sat up straighter and listened. The voice became louder, and he remembered hearing it somewhere before...
I can teach you everything you've ever wanted to know about humans. I can give you friendship, but I'd rather give you so much more...
He frowned and wondered what the voice meant. He heard laughter in his head, and the sound of it rang in his ears. He covered them and closed his eyes, to no avail.
"I'm stronger than you, ee'dal'hotha!" he hissed to the empty room. More laughter was his response.
Do you want to see how weak you really are? Come, my love, let's not argue. I can give you so much, Yulgren. You put up the pretense that all you're interested in is friendship and family relationships, but deep down...
He winced as his true feelings about the matter floated to the forefront of his mind. She knew.
Yes, I knew! the voice said as it laughed at him. But isn't it wonderful that I'm willing to give you a chance to explore deep intimacy? In fact, I'm longing to explore that with you, my love. I've longed for it ever since I met one of your kind.
She was lying, and he felt ashamed as she found out what he truly wanted. He had planned to start out with friendship and go from there, but he was counting on her ignorance.
I told you, I would have put up no resistance. You would have had my friendship, my body, my loyalty...whatever you wanted. You can still have it, my love. Just come and see me, and we'll talk.
He stood and took one step toward the door, but then he stopped and sat back down. "No," he said firmly to the silence.
Suddenly, darkness started to close in on his vision, and he leaned back involuntarily in his chair. A vision, like a daydream, played out before him.
He was holding a woman in his arms, completely naked, and her soft hands gently massaged his back. Her deft fingers danced over his sensitive skin, and he moaned and kissed her roughly. Pure bliss exploded in his mind as he pulled her closer, her skin pressed to his. He could feel the lower part of her throb in excitement, and he breathed in sharply as her tongue lightly explored his lips. Her skillful fingers found his ears, and he gasped in ecstasy. His hand pressed her lower back closer...
He gasped as his normal vision was returned to him, and his breathing remained heavy for a few minutes.
See what I'm offering you? That was simply a taste of the pleasures that await you.
He closed his eyes and tried to regain his composure.
Think it over, love. I'll be waiting.
…
He walked toward her, cautious, wary, yet curious all the same. Her powers were impressive to say the least, and he felt inexplicably drawn to her. He was so absorbed in watching her that he didn't even notice his breath fog before him; the room felt comfortable. Lilith smiled cautiously up at him.
"So what do you want to talk about, Yulgren?"
He frowned in confusion. "Don't play your games with me. I want to know more about these powers you have."
It was her turn to frown. "What are you talking about?"
He paused and considered her answer. Was what he had experienced just a hallucination? It had felt so real, yet so...surreal. Maybe he had imagined it...
The next thing he knew, he was pinned against the wall, his lips covered with her soft, warm ones. He breathed in sharply as pleasure more intense than what he had felt in the vision made him tingle from head to toe. He pushed her off of him and caught his breath, backing away from her slowly.
Oh, come on, love, you know you want more. Her voice echoed in his mind again and he shook his head.
"I will not fall prey to the whims of a ee'dal'hootha such as yourself."
She laughed and the sound of it filled his ears. "You Vorta call me a mind-bender, and yet you do not know the meaning of the word!" He trembled as her voice grew louder and more dangerous. "I can offer you pleasures beyond your wildest dreams...but I can also inflict pain worse than your most tormented nightmare." Her voice was a deep growl now, and her eyes flashed dangerously. And Yulgren swore her teeth had gotten sharper.
When she walked toward him, he didn't move away, and suddenly he was back against the wall, instinctively caressing her back as she covered his mouth in a luxurious, lengthy kiss. He groaned as the pleasurable tingling returned, then gasped as her fingers found his ear. One of her abnormally long fingernails trailed lightly over the ridges, and he closed his eyes. He convulsed and held onto her when her lips replaced her nails, and her tongue waltzed over what was apparently a very sensitive area. He had never felt anything like the irresistible sensations that filled him up, and he barely felt any pain when her hand slipped and accidentally sliced his chest near his collarbone, where a space in his shirt left his skin bare.
He was about to say something to head off any of her concerns for his well-being or comfort when he caught sight of her eyes. They glowed with a deep red hue that did not match what he had seen before; her eyes were dark when he had first seen them...
She leaned forward and lightly teased his lips with her tongue. Then, with a seductive gaze into his eyes, she ran her tongue over his wound.
His knees nearly buckled as pleasure like burning fire filled his veins. The wound ran freely and she indulged herself on his rich blood. After a few small licks, she looked up at him with those red eyes.
"Lilith," he moaned, "keep going."
She laughed. "I will, but you may want to lie down."
He obeyed without question and even tore off his shirt to make things easier for her. She abandoned his smaller wound in favor of a larger cut she made lower on his chest, and she lowered her head and drank from him.
The taste of him flooded her senses and she groaned lustily as she gulped down her first swallow. She paused and gripped his arms tightly as she fully processed this new Vorta. Yulgren's blood had a spice, a lively burn to it that she had never tasted in any of the others. Perhaps it was the result of his genetic engineering, or that all the others had been simple field commanders of smaller Jem'Hadar fighters while Yulgren commanded a larger vessel. She didn't care either way; her only thought now was how irresistibly delectable he tasted.
His hands found the back of her neck, and his nails dug into her pale skin as she drank more. He never wanted this to end, and only wished he had an unlimited supply of blood in his veins so she could feed from him forever. Not once did he think about the Founders or the Dominion; his thoughts focused on her and the things she had offered him. Now that he had accepted her, he had no doubt that she would fulfill her promises. But he didn't desire those things as much as he desired to please her.
Once she reached the point of harming him, she stopped and sealed his wounds, coming up to look him in the eye. His purple orbs were hazy with pleasure, and she trailed a lazy finger down his ear.
"Oh, my love...even amongst Vorta, never have I tasted such wonderful blood as yours."
She kissed him, and his mind reeled in pleasure at her words and at her touch. He tingled with joy as he realized that she was pleased with him.
Yes, my love, I am very pleased with you. And this is only the beginning...
…
Her hands slowly and sensuously explored his bare skin as he read over the PADD. Apparently, one of the prisoners had a son who worked as a bartender on Deep Space 9, and the son was willing to make a trade: Ishka for Keevan. Yulgren smiled at the thought of debriefing the traitor.
"What is it, love?" she whispered to him.
"What do you think of this? This Ferengi bartender wants his mother back, and he apparently has Keevan to trade for her."
"He wants Ishka back?"
Yulgren nodded and leaned against her.
"I say we let him have her."
He furrowed his brow in confusion as he considered it.
"Think about it, love," she whispered, lightly flicking her tongue over his ear, causing him to convulse in pleasure. "They have Keevan. I don't know about you, but I'd like to be there for his debriefing."
"What makes you say that?" he murmured back, curious.
Let's just say I have a...personal score to settle with that disgusting traitor. I could make it worth your while...I told you I can inflict pain far worse than any Dominion technique could. You and I could destroy him...
He grinned at the thought and nodded. "Very well, my dear. We'll accept his offer."
"Excellent..."
She ran her nail down his neck and kissed the blood that dripped from this new mark. He gasped and clutched the sheets as she lightly flicked her tongue over her mark, over and over again.
Mmmm...I should tell you, love, that by now I am invisible to everyone but you. Only you can hear my voice and feel my touch. I belong to you now, and you to me.
He breathed in and let her have what she wanted, and his eyes closed as waves of ecstasy overtook him. The PADD fell to the floor, and she smiled as she blessed him with lengthy kisses and sensuous caresses.
He was all hers.
…
She stroked his face as his eyes fluttered open. He stared at her with hazy eyes, and she smiled.
"Good morning," she whispered in a low, seductive tone as she leaned in to kiss him. He moaned, and she could feel his thoughts turn to last night. She laughed.
No, my Yulgren, it wasn't a dream. It was very real. Tell me, how did it feel?
"Exhilarating..." he whispered back, clutching her close as she caressed his neck with her lips.
Mmm...I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. And there's more where that came from...
She bit his neck so hard it bled, and the little trickle of blood was soon gone. He gasped and writhed a little as he felt the familiar suction on his skin.
"Yes...Lilith, I...please don't...oh..." he gasped, incoherent as bliss consumed him, as she consumed him.
After a few minutes, she pulled back and lightly teased his lips.
Come love, you need to get dressed. We don't want to be late for the prisoner exchange.
…
She stood behind him, her arms wrapped around his core and her chin resting on his shoulder, invisible to everyone but him. Even the Jem'Hadar soldiers didn't detect her when she bumped into them. All of them were oblivious, except for her Vorta.
The corridor was deserted; the only things on the Promenade were several barrels, broken equipment, and fallen conduits.
"Where are they?" Yulgren muttered to himself.
In the infirmary. Six Ferengi and Keevan. They're arguing about who should negotiate the prisoner exchange.
"Ferengi, show yourself! We're here to trade," he yelled.
They'll be out in a minute, love. Try to be patient, for Ishka's sake. She doesn't deserve to die.
"Ferengi, I don't like to be kept waiting."
Oh, but some things are worth waiting for, love, and Keevan is one of them.
"I'm coming!" They heard the Ferengi's muffled response through the doors, and soon three of them were standing before Yulgren and his party.
He felt her smelling his hair and thought it was an odd thing to do at a time like this. He heard her laugh in his head.
Ferengi males don't smell very pleasant to me, but thankfully the females are tolerable. You, on the other hand, smell delectable, and I'd rather breath in the scent of a Vorta than that of a Ferengi.
He had to repress a smile as the bartender came forward to take his mother's hand.
"What a touching and heartfelt reunion," he said sarcastically. "I'm glad I was here to witness it. Now, where's Keevan? I wish to conclude this transaction."
He and the Ferengi began bantering back and forth, and Lilith hissed as the ignorant fool started making demands.
Insolent worm, doesn't he see that's he's outnumbered and outgunned?
But she was surprised when Yulgren took control of the situation and agreed to the terms. She didn't blame him; the Dominion had no reason to refuse the Ferengi's demands since they weren't at war with them. She simply sighed and stroked his ear.
You say you have no patience, but that was impressively diplomatic. You're a credit to your race, my love.
The corner of his mouth twitched upward at her words, but he kept a stoic expression as the little Ferengi to the right called their attention to him.
"How do we know that's really Moogie and not a Changeling?"
When the boy came forward with a knife, Yulgren stopped his Jem'Hadar from attacking, but then physically tensed as he thought about Lilith's reaction.
Oh, don't worry, my love. I only desire your blood, no one else's.
"No parents, no sweetheart, no investment portfolio."
"And no patience. We'll meet back here in one-half hour. Don't be late."
But you do have a lover, Yulgren. The only thing she got wrong.
She walked with him back to the lower pylon where their ship had docked, and soon they were alone in his quarters.
Just think, my love...in a few hours, we can debrief Keevan and make him pay for the horrid things he's done. That's when the fun begins.
Yulgren smiled at her statement and pulled her close. "True. I just hope that insolent Ferengi holds up his end of the bargain."
I hate them too, dearest. And I'll be on the station with you, but you don't need me there to oversee a simple prisoner exchange, do you?
He shook his head. "But I'd rather have you with me for the days that I'll be stranded on the station."
She smiled and trailed her finger down his chest. Trust me, love, it'll be...fun.
Her expression betrayed her meaning and he smiled maliciously, kissing her warm lips and running a hand through her long, dark hair. She returned the favor, and soon he was practically purring at her touch.
You should go. The half-hour is almost up.
…
He shivered in the corner of the Federation cell, his arms wrapped around his body. He was sweating profusely, and the room felt like a furnace to him. He longed to see Lilith again; she hadn't visited in days. A nagging fear formed in his mind that she had gone forever.
Suddenly, a cool wind ruffled his hair, and he looked up to see his love standing before him, smiling. He smiled back in relief; she came forward and laid him back on the bench, covering his lips with her own. He thought about the guard outside for a moment, but she soon alleviated his fears.
He won't notice a thing, love. Oh, how I have missed you...
She slipped a hand beneath his shirt and caressed his pale skin. Once she pulled back and moved on to his neck, he moaned in ecstasy.
"I've missed you too...more than you know," he whispered, relishing every touch, every kiss, every moment with her.
I'm sorry about that. I know the last few weeks must have been hard on you, but I was as clueless as you about the Ferengi's plans.
All of that was forgotten and he concentrated on her. She laughed when she sensed his desire, and a finger trailed down his ears in response.
"As you wish, my love." She sliced his neck and sucked his blood, the purple-red substance staining her soft lips. As she fed, she let her hand wonder down his body, and he gasped when she found what she was looking for. She chuckled.
You remember this, don't you?
He simply tilted back his head and breathed in and out. And when she returned to his neck, he felt like he might die from ecstasy.
She laughed in earnest as she sensed that. How much are you willing to give me?
"Everything..."
She grinned and took more and more, her lust growing with every passing second. But he only had so much to give, and she knew the time to leave was coming. She simply took pleasure in every drop that ran down her throat, and soon he was panting for breath, weak and weary.
"My dearest Yulgren...I hope I taught you something of worth. It was fun...love."
…
When the guard awoke from his stupor and went back in to check on the Vorta, he was shocked to find the cell empty.
And far away, on a deserted planet, the last of the stones for a cairn were put in place by a young woman with long, dark hair.