Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

Strom was just unlocking the storage room to find a few more supplies for the opening day when he heard a knock at the door. He walked across the rough wooden floor, through dusky beams of early-morning sunlight, and he raised his eyebrows at the sight of his Ammie, rubbing her neck and smiling shyly up at him.

"Good morning," he purred, gesturing her inside and shutting the door. "For what reason have you graced me with your presence, ashaya?"

"My neck...you kind of...you know...bruised it."

"Ah," he said, clasping his hands in front of him as his face grew warm. "Then let me examine you." He patted the table and picked up the dermal regenerator, and he pushed back a loose curl of dark brown hair and contemplated her bruises. Indeed, some of them had teeth marks ringing them, and it made his fingertips tingle just to look at them again.

"Just a few moments under the regenerator, and these marks will be gone," he said, stroking his thumb over the marks. She closed her eyes, her lips parting, and his fingertips tingled harder.

"Ammie?"

Ammie's eyes opened slightly, her pupils were blooming. Her mind took her straight to the gutter as his fingers ran over the brazen marks. "I know Vulcans do that to mark their mates." She let the word mate linger in the air with the gravity it deserved.

Strom swallowed and nodded. "They do."

"I didn't come in to get them erased, but rather to..." she gave him a blushing shy grin, "brag."

Strom dropped the dermal regenerator as if it had burned him. "I've healed both of them, so they are only shadows."

Ammie gave him a playful pouting frown. "That won't do will it?"

"No," Strom said in a husky tenor, sliding his arm around her waist pulling her closer, "It will not." His lips moved to where the original mark was, and he whispered, "But only if you will indeed be my mate..."

"I'll be whatever you want me to be," she whispered sincerely, moaning as he attached his lips to her neck and started sucking. Her gut tightened in arousal, and she threaded her fingers through his curly hair, whimpering as he nibbled at her.

"Just don't stop..." she continued belatedly, rubbing her fingers up and down the shell of his ear. "Oh, I can't wait to see you with your ears back..."

"The bottom half of my human ears is still...sensitive." He gasped the last word as she lightly stroked up the shell of his ear. "Ammie, my ashal-veh..."

He growled and slowly moved his marks downward, tugging the hem of her shirt down so he could suckle at the top of her breast.

"Strom!" she whimpered, pressing his head into her body. "Strom..."

He lifted her onto the exam table, lasciviously pressing himself into her core, internally cursing the tightness of the human jeans he was wearing. He nipped at the skin at the top of her bosoms. His beast told him to mark her there, and he gave in to the desire.

He bit a little harder, not enough to break the skin. He would not go that far until he had poured his essence into her, to make her his bondmate. He heard her gasp, and he pulled back letting his thin lips graze softly over hers. "That will have to do, until such time it is more proper." He held her hand up, curling in her ring finger and pinky he slid his fingers up hers, letting his guards drop so she could properly feel a true Vulcan kiss.

She slowly pulled her hand away and slipped her fingers into the beltloops of his jeans, tugging him forward into her. He moaned, and she brushed her thumbs over his bountiful and obvious erection.

"One of these days," she purred, tantalizing him, "you won't have to stop..."

She didn't know where this boldness came from, but she curled her fingers around the hem of his jeans, slowly sliding the backs of her two fingers down towards the top of his manhood. He growled, nipping boldly at her neck.

"Ammie...you little minx..."

"Only around you," she said with a sly little grin, kissing the end of his nose. "Thank you for the...treatment, doctor. I feel better already."

Faith stepped from the door of the house, and saw Ammie walking on rubbery legs toward her. "Oh put yourself away." Faith mouthed to her walking to join her in the middle of the path.

Ammie was blushing, "So, what's up?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing, but from the way you are walking..."

Ammie slugged her friend on the shoulder, "Not that far. But wow, his kisses..."

Faith gave her a discreet high five, "Well, we are all on schedule. The first bus is on it's way, and the restaurant is opening." She paused in the path and nodded her head toward the barn. "You see that tall thin blond guy?"

"Yes."

"That is our hay ride director. The one Strom and Solok are watching. I met him while you were getting your freak on." Faith grinned, poking her ribs.

"You try resisting when...Greg's fingers are all up on your neck and his voice sounds like he's having sex with your ears!"

Faith snorted. "So do you want to hear about this guy or not?"

"Why don't I just go meet him?"

She shrugged and led Ammie over to where the man was standing. He was lean, scrawny almost, all sinew and no muscle. His cheeks were sallow, and Ammie was reminded of a scarecrow, as his hair was the color of light straw.

"Welcome to Nachthaus Ranch!" she said with a smile, holding out her hand. The man's grip was cold.

"Pleasure's mine, ma'am," he said. His voice sounded like an oil slick, and Ammie tried not to shiver.

"So how are you finding things so far?"

He sucked air through his teeth, turning his head he spit on some hay, "The horses are good, well exercised. I need to get busy polishing up the leather wear, and the metal." he looked back toward the girls never actually looking at them. "So things are great. The caretaker told me when and where to take chow. I think I'm good to go."

Faith watched Ammie watching him, "Do you need a room? The caretaker said you didn't want one in the house."

"No, Ma'am," he said, looking back and spitting in the hay again, "I don't like sleeping in houses, I'll be camp'n...it's in my contract that way."

"Whatever floats your boat, sir," Faith said, raising her hands up in a sign of non-resistance. "Well, Mr. McCarthy, it's good to have you on our team."

He spat again into the hay, and Ammie grabbed Faith's arm and pulled her back to the house.

"That's just gross. I hate it when guys do that. I know we're out in the middle of Nowhere, but still...not in front of a lady," Ammie whispered.

"I'm with you there, girlfriend."

"And speaking of girlfriends...how are things between you and Mr. Theater, hm? You haven't given me the dish!"

Faith blushed. "He is too busy to come into the house for lunch today, so I'm going to take him food and drink to his office."

"You mean the one you have to take the golf cart to get to at the end of the trail?" Ammie said with a grin.

"The very same." Her face was now as red as a candy apple.

"That gives Str..." she stopped herself, "Bob and I the house alone for lunch. I'm Ammie and I approve of this message."

Faith giggled, "Yeah, and then all heck breaks open because the people come flooding in, we may not get much private time from here out. We don't close until 2 in the morning." She added with a sigh.

"Love manages, and we are putting our feet forward now so maybe they will later." She looked at her watch, "I have to go check on the gift shop, and the restaurant. Tonight, after closing time..." she poked her, "I want details!"

"Quid pro quo, Ammie...enjoy lunch!" She said with a wink and trotted back off to the house to ready lunch.

Solok pulled a chair out for Faith after she laid out a modest spread on his desk, and he returned to his chair, disappointed that a desk now lay between him and his prize.

"You do know how to tempt...one of us, Faith," he purred, spearing a mushroom with his fork. "And your cooking is, as always, succulent."

He watched in satisfaction as she swallowed thickly. "Apple cider?"

"The cinnamon would lead to you and I both being late for our next tasks. Not that I am disagreeable to it. It makes your scent all the more potent."

She blushed, and quickly changed the subject. "So do you have any news on this McCarthy guy? We met him this morning, and he's just...blegh."

Solok's eyes widened, "Do not approach him yourself, whatever happens. If he is the smuggler then he will be armed and dangerous." He took a spoon full of the soup, eating it down his eyes closed, his beast reminding him how dangerous the company she was currently keeping was to her. His eyes flashed, "I will have some of the cider."

"But you said..."

Solok cocked his head slightly, and he was pleased to watch her pour it in the small cup she brought. "When you hand it to me say these ritual words." he leaned over the desk whispering the Vulcan words to her.

"I am Faith, daughter of Rosemary...and I come to serve," she whispered, handing him the cider. He downed it, smirking at her, and he handed it back to her, silently asking for more of the intoxicating liquid.

"I am Solok, son of Sovar, and your service honors me."

She poured him more, and he drained it, purring in pleasure as he set the cup aside and moved around the desk, slowly closing in on his prize.

"You are mine now, Faith Cloverleaf," he growled in her ear, sensuously sliding his hands over her shoulders. "And I will make you bless the day you hired me to work with you."

Faith's heart raced in her chest, and then Ammie's words came back to her, her friend had been bold, and now she had to find it within herself to be as bold. She swallowed thickly, running her fingers up the back of his neck, pulling him toward her. She slid a hand up the center of his chest pulling his flannel shirt down. "I already do." she bit the meat at the top of his peck, as she threaded her fingers into his dark hair.

Solok's eyes widened, and a growl erupted from his throat. He could smell her acutely, and now as she bit him, feeling her emotion, her nervousness, her desire, it all coursed through him, cutting him like her teeth had.

He groaned as his pants tightened, and it seemed she could feel what he felt as the restricting jeans bulged with his excitement. She pulled away from his chest, her lips stained with his blood, and she turned around in the chair so her legs were spread wide. Her teeth found a place lower on his chest, right above his nipple, and he growled, gripping her hair with beastly fervor.

"Oh, Faith," he murmured, knotting her hair. "You do not know...how much this stirs my blood..."

Her fingers trailed over his arousal, and he gasped.

"I think I do."

Solok found her mouth pressing his tongue between her lips he lunged, and they both fell to the ground in a heated tangle.

"Um, sir..." a young man said, knocking louder than before.

Solok pulled himself and Faith up, pushing her behind him. "What?" he said in a testy manner.

"I was supposed to...um...work, but, if you're busy..."

"No, no" Faith said apologetically. "Well, thank you for that demonstration of method acting."

The boy seemed to relax, "Oh thank God. I thought I walked in on something."

Solok calmed himself, "Of course, I'll see you this evening."

Ammie handed Sue a piping hot cup of cider and smiled at her. "You should probably go home, honey. It's going to get down to nearly freezing tonight. You should stay inside, ok? Happy October!"

Faith waved at the protester and shut the gate, locking it behind her.

"I worry about that girl sometimes..."

"Me too," Ammie agreed. "Hope she doesn't freeze to death...or that creepy McScarecrow doesn't find her out here and make her his camping buddy..."

"Oh, dear God...don't even go down that road with me, babe."

Ammie paused, hearing a voice coming down the path, and she recognized it as McCarthy's. "Speak of the devil..."

Faith lowered her voice, "Solok said we shouldn't approach him, but he didn't say anything about spying.." he pushed Ammie into the brush and down onto her knees, "Let's listen..."

They crawled through the brush slowly, until they could hear him clearly, and then they nestled down.

"Yeah, I'm here and I'm getting things set up."

"What are the new owners like? Do you think you'll have to get rid of them?"

"Nah,they are just a couple of dingy women," he said, spitting onto the ground. "There're a couple of guys working here though that I've talked to...they seem like, I don't know...Vulcans."

"Vulcans?"

"Yeah, I'm not sure though. When I'm sure I'll just kill them." He replied spitting, "I mean if they are...I won't draw extra attention for some geeks."

Ammie covered her mouth to stop the sound of her gasp, and once he was out of sight, she closed her eyes and relaxed.

The run back to the house was quick and frightening, but in front of the roaring fire, they slumped onto the rug and sighed in relief.

"Ok...he suspects something...what can we do to avoid this situation? We have to make this guy very sure that they are humans."

Faith was schooling her breathing trying not to hyperventilate. "They have to appear more human, doing human things...what are some things that Vulcans don't do in public?"

"They don't fight, touch, or laugh." Ammie rattled off, "I don't know how we'd get them to laugh..."

"We'd have to let them in on it if we fought with them, and they might come off as being stiff, and if they fought with each other...that might seemed contrived." Faith ran her hands through her hair.

"If we were seen holding their hands, kissing them...being affectionate, that might make them seem more human. It will make us seem less professional, but..."

"Oh sod the professionalism, we are going to Vulcan after this..." Faith said with a sigh.

"So should we let them in on this?"

"No," Faith breathed. "They'd just...I don't know what they'd do...I'm worried about them."

"Me too..."

The door opened, and they heard the men's voices in the kitchen.

"Ammie!" Strom called. "Are you here?"

"In here, ashayam!" she called, then breathed out, trying not to look as if she had just seen a ghost.

"Ammie...you're pale...I can hear your heart racing," Strom murmured as he sat beside her on the rug. She sighed.

"We're in a Halloween theme park, doctor. Faith here thought it'd be a great idea to sneak up behind me and pretend to be a serial killer. So I returned the favor."

Strom smirked, "Faith, attend. I would like to focus your abundance of energy elsewhere."

Faith looked at Ammie who nodded, "I think that is a good idea, Solok..." she reached out and took his hand fully, "Let's go outside..."

"It's cold out..."

"True, but I know where there's a fire." She looked at Ammie. "See you two later..."