MATURE CONTENT - another HUGE warning for graphicness (is that a word?) for this chapter. If you don't want to read that sort of thing, you will want to definitely SKIP this chapter.

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Chapter 18 – The Ties That Bind
Music – 'Bound to You' by Christina Aguilera

He held me up with one hand tucked under my butt, while his other arm hung loose, completely unnecessary to support my weight. He walked slowly, leisurely, in no hurry. Why wouldn't he? He had the entire night to do with me as he pleased. My heart raced at that thought – spending hours in his arms, under his touch.

His lips never left my skin, as he carried me, kissing, licking and occasionally nipping at my flesh, coaxing heat to every surface. My hands tangled into the curls of his hair, clenching tightly when his lips would glide over a particularly sensitive spot.

I squirmed in his grip, acutely aware of his hard-on between my legs. A small whine released from the back of my throat, as I moved my hips to create more friction. I felt his mouth curve into a smile against my neck, as he chuckled softly. He suddenly tightened his grip, pressing me into him aggressively, rubbing me against his arousal in firm short strokes; giving me what he knew I wanted.

I hissed a sharp-pitched expression of pleasure, "Myrnin!" I panted, my chest heaving.

"Yes, my dear?" he purred, nibbling on my earlobe.

I couldn't find the words to articulate the desire that burned through me. I just knew I wanted him, more than I had ever wanted anything before, and released a high needy whimper.

"Yes, my dear…I will take care of that for you," he promised silkily, and moved his ministrations to my collar bone, before he continued with a devious chuckle, "just not yet."

We finally made it to the bedroom after what seemed like an hour of him teasing and tasting my skin; but could have only been a few minutes. Myrnin used his free hand to open the door and walked across the room soundlessly toward the bed. He sat at the end of it, with me still firmly planted in his lap.

I looked over his shoulder, my eyes sweeping over the bed and gasped. It was beautiful in the moonlight. Of course, it was elegant like the rest of the house. It had an intricate round wrought-iron headboard, with graceful, simple swirls and a butterfly that appeared to be in flight. I had never seen anything like it.

He shifted toward the middle of the bed and rolled our bodies, so that I was lying next to him. "Do you like it?" Myrnin asked; his voice was low with desire and intent.

I looked at the headboard again and was struck with the realization – somehow, someway I would be tied to it shortly. Suddenly Myrnin's question sounded much more like he was asking me if I was ready, rather than if I appreciated the beauty of the headboard.

I brought my eyes back down to his. His gaze was smoldering with intensity. My glance drifted down to his broad shoulders and thick arms. I trailed my fingers across the planes of his chest, his muscles rippling under my touch, in response. I was awed by his beauty, power and strength. He took my breath away. "Yes," I whispered.

Immediately, his hand went from stroking my cheek down to my breast, slowly, purposefully. He never took his eyes off of mine. I held my breath as his fingers continued lower, creating goosebumps along the trail he took down my belly and past my navel, before ghosting between my legs.

It was as if I'd been shot with adrenaline. I gasped, letting out a cry of desire that was silenced when Myrnin crushed his lips against mine, demanding and fierce. His tongue swept along my lower lip before rising up for the tiniest portion of a second, to make eye contact with me again, his pupils completed dilated. His eyes flashed black, as he thrust two fingers into me. I cried out as pleasure shot through my system. Myrnin took my lips for his own again, crashing into me, moving his tongue demandingly against mine. Shockingly, I met him back with equal force, my mouth eager against his, my nails, reflexively scratching a path down his bare back, earning me a growl against my lips in return. I bucked my hips, riding his rhythm.

Maddeningly, he withdrew his fingers. I whined loudly and writhed with need beneath him. His hand slid up my side and then down my arm, intertwining his fingers in mine as he placed it over my head, before shifting and gathering my other hand with it. I heard the lush tear of the curtain behind the bed and then felt the soft strip of fabric wrap around my wrists, binding them together.

My heart was beating in my head, nerves crashing through me. Myrnin whispered, "Don't fear me," and moved his lips back to mine, softer this time, but firmly, very much in control. As he kissed me, I felt a slight tension against my joined wrists; as he connected the binding to one of the swirls in the headboard.

The positioning wasn't uncomfortable, but definitely heightened my senses of vulnerability and submission. I wondered what would happen next. What his plan was. I had never pictured myself in this position before, and honestly still couldn't imagine it with anyone else, including Shane.

As if sensing the babbling in my head, he commanded softly, "Stop thinking." And then to help me along with that, he slid dangerously over me, using his knee to spread my legs apart, before settling his body down between them. I realized with a shock, that sometime during my one-sided conversation with myself, he had removed his pants. I could intimately feel his hard-on throbbing between my legs. I thought I might go mad with desire right then and there. I squirmed beneath him, trying to make the connection.

Myrnin shifted his hips and upper body, pinning me down tightly. "Not yet," he said forcefully.

I held still. The power of his movement restricting me, and the firmness of his tone, stunned my senses for a moment. And then, suddenly, I very much liked my positioning. He had taken exquisite control and I was happy to give it to him. My nervousness was gone now, driven out by a new slow burning heat.

I stared at him with wide eyes, waiting.

Myrnin felt my body relax beneath him. "Good girl," he said approvingly. His smile suddenly turned devious, his eyes dancing with mischief. I inhaled sharply, caught in the intensity of his gaze. I recognized that look: playful indulgence. He could be a challenge to handle – on a good day, when I was dressed – when he was in this mood. I had no idea what to expect, now that I was naked and tied to a bed beneath him – effectively making me his favorite new toy.

And then I was shocked as hell to discover that I didn't care because whatever it was, that he planned to do to me, I wanted it.

His head came down again, this time meeting my collar bone, to resume his previous exploration of my flesh. His touch was becoming harder, more demanding and more possessive, as he devoured a path down my body with his lips, his tongue darting out for a taste here and there. My breathing hitched sporadically.

When his mouth took in my bare breast, swirling his tongue around my hardened nipple before biting it playfully with his teeth, my back arched without my permission, to meet him. I gasped loudly; a low humming moan in the back of my throat. His mouth curved into a smile against my flesh as his lips burned a trail to my other breast, not to be left out. I panted beneath him, writhing desperately as fire and passion pulsed through me. But his hands gripped my sides, holding me tightly in place.

"You're mine," he growled, his expression fierce, leaving no room for any other option.

"Yes," I breathed, nodding my head, knowing it was the truth. No matter what happened tonight, I was already his. I couldn't even define the moment when it had happened. I think it had been growing in me much longer than I ever realized.

His hands slid down my sides, gripping me by my hips, as his mouth continued steadily south over my belly and still lower. My breathing was harsh when he released one hand from my hip, letting it trail down my leg so that he could curl his fingers around the back of my knee, bringing it up higher and apart, further opening my body to him.

He looked up from my stomach at me, his dark liquid eyes burning with seduction and calculation. He licked his lips purposefully, with a knowing smile. I forgot how to breathe. Anticipation rocked through my system. My entire body was a live wire, quivering as I felt his cool breath ghost over the most sensitive parts of me, before capturing my soft skin in his mouth, moving his tongue in ways that ought to be considered illegal.

I was on fire. All cognizant thought fled my brain, leaving me writhing against him, unable to sit still under the assault of the excruciating pleasure of his lips on my skin. With every sweep of his tongue, pressure built inside of me.

He shifted one hand over to my stomach to keep me in place. While his other hand crept from behind my knee, firmly trailing up my leg, until his fingers joined his lips in pleasuring me. Moving in and out of me, with a complexity I had never felt before. He left me panting high-pitched whimpers, with every delicious flick and turn.

He wasn't wrong about making me scream his name. I was out of my mind. Hunger and desire threatened to consume me. Words, moans and expletives all mixed together into a solid stream of nonsensical lust-filled syllables.

I felt the touch of his fangs now beneath his kisses. My arousal screamed to be released. He hesitated against my skin. That was it. I could take no more. "Do it!" I hissed, wanting his bite; wanting him to mark me as his – and knowing it would drive me over the edge.

His fangs sunk into the flesh of my inner thigh. He wasn't gentle or calm, his large hand wrapped around my thigh, holding it to his mouth as he sucked greedily.

But I didn't care, because wave after wave of overwhelming climax contracted through me, hard and strong, for what felt like forever.

Just as I was coming down from my incredible high, I didn't have time to relax or even think, before several things happened. First, Myrnin released my leg, swiping venom from his tongue, across my skin to heal the bite. Too quickly for me to determine which happened next; his mouth captured mine, rough and demanding; and he thrust into me, hard. I screamed against his mouth, the sound muffled by his relentless lips.

After that first shock to my system by filling me so abruptly, he paused his assault to my senses, and pulled back slightly, to look at me. I knew it wasn't because he was slowing down. Quite the opposite. He was just beginning.

My eyes were filled with liquid desire. My chest heaved, trying to keep up the erratic pace of my heart. Electricity crashed up and down my spine when he twitched inside of me. His eyes were wild with lust, but I could see he was still in control. He gently tucked an errant strand of my hair behind my ear and murmured huskily, "You are so beautiful, Cariad." His words sung through me. He might as well have said, 'I love you', because that was what his body and eyes were communicating to me, in extraordinary ways.

He locked me in his impenetrable gaze and began to move in smooth, slow and teasing strokes, building an exquisite tension in my body. His eyes wordlessly told me to be ready for him, because at just the right moment, he was going to take me right to that edge again. Heat snaked through me, anticipation causing my muscles to clench around him almost violently.

His eyes flashed. Apparently, that was the moment. Because his momentum suddenly increased, communicating he had no intention to stop now. He took my mouth for his own again. I jerked my upper body forward to meet him and suddenly realized that I was no longer tied to the bed. I never even caught his movement to cut that tie, but he had to have done it, because there was no way I could have wiggled out of a knot that he had tied. I found my wrists were still bound tightly together, just no longer tied to the bed; I could move them. Immediately, I wrapped them around his shoulders, and plunged my fingers into his hair, grasping handfuls tightly, allowing me leverage to rock my hips against him; meeting him eagerly thrust for thrust.

He took me with animalistic passion. I imagined the motion of it would have been similar to the challenge of trying to wrestle a leopard. But every stroke and every touch was explicit, devastating pleasure, which left me gasping for breath and wanting more.

When it hit, I cried out, babbling, screaming his name, as I rode the waves of my climax. I felt him shudder with his own release, and complete the transfer. I recognized it immediately. The force of it was stunning. Power vibrated through my body, shocking my system, mixed with the most delicious ecstasy I had ever felt.

Myrnin didn't move as he pressed sweet, calming kisses to my face, while my breathing slowed and returned to normal. I looked at him in amazement, still shocked and overwhelmed. I belonged to him now. More than that – somehow it felt as if the whole universe was singing that we belonged to each other. There was no other place I'd rather be than where I was now, tucked in the warm embrace of his affections. "I love you, too," I whispered.

Intense joy crossed his features as he murmured, "Cariad, words are simply not enough to adequately describe what you do to me." He kissed me again softly and then murmured, "Let me see your wrists."

I had completely forgotten they were still tied together. He ducked his head as I pulled my arms over him and held my hands against my chest. He leaned down and sliced through the binding with his fangs; the fabric falling away easily. I flexed my wrists slightly, feeling a bit sore. Myrnin frowned and brought his hand to examine my arm gently. There were red marks where I had thrashed against the binding. "Are you okay?" he whispered, distressed, "Did I hurt you?"

I broke free from his grip and moved both hands to cup his face. "Look at me," I whispered. He raised his troubled eyes to mine. I gently stroked his cheek as I firmly said, "No." A slight blush came to my cheeks as I continued, "I…wanted…everything you did to me; it was…amazing."

His face softened. He rolled off of me, curling me against his chest. I felt like I could sleep for two days. Myrnin must have felt my body relax, because he whispered, "You can't sleep yet, love."

I looked up in surprise. At the same time my belly clenched in fierce anticipation. A wide grin spread across his face, feeling my response to his words. "No, but keep that thought, because we will come back to it later," he said huskily. His words and tone of voice weren't really slowing down my desire. I was a bit distracted by the force of my own reaction; shocked that I wanted him again so quickly.

"We need to practice," he said.

I blinked, completely lost.

"Your new 'skills'," he explained, seeing my confusion.

"Oh. Okay. What do we do?" I asked, nervously thinking about tomorrow.

"First, we get dressed so that I am not hopelessly distracted by you. I want to push you as far as I can. Much of it should be instinctual, but I want you to feel and use it before tomorrow." Myrnin slid off of the bed. I stared at his naked body in the moonlight. All thoughts of the following day slipped my mind, as a ridiculously strong wave of desire crashed through me.

He looked over at me and raised his eyebrow, a small smirk on his lips, as he tugged on his boxers.

I frowned, not liking that he was covered up. Once again, I was shocked at the strength of my response. When we were past all of this drama, clearly I was going to need a few uninterrupted days – or a week, maybe – with him, to satiate this hunger that pulled at me.

Abruptly, he was holding his shirt that I had worn yesterday, out to me. He must have run into the living room and back without me even noticing. I wasn't sure I would ever get completely used to that. Using every bit of will power I could find, I slipped into his shirt, buttoning up a couple of buttons and slid off of the bed when he reached for my hand.

He pulled me back to the couch in the living room. The fire had run its course; only glowing embers remained. I breathed a sigh of relief as my desire seemed to relent. I wasn't sure if it was because we were away from the bed, or if my scientific curiosity was piquing, taking up all of my brain. "How do I…use it?" I tilted my head inquisitively at Myrnin.

"It is a purely defensive mechanism, so your mind should respond automatically when threatened. Try to keep me out," Myrnin stared at me intently.

I got lost in his eyes, distracted as memories from our earlier love-making flooded my mind. My belly curled in anticipation again. His expression softened knowingly, "Try to calm down, love".

"You make that sound easy," I muttered attempting to force my imagination away from all of the things I wanted to do to him. I closed my eyes, hoping it would help me concentrate.

I felt Myrnin enter my mind, just a small twinge at the edge of my thoughts. Immediately, a surge of power flowed through me, rushing to meet his advance and push him out. I opened my eyes wide, adrenaline coursing through my veins. When I found his gaze, surprised painted his features as well. "That was good, right?" I asked breathlessly.

"Very good," he murmured, hesitantly. "Okay, let's try again."

I waited and felt him enter my mind again, this time the force was twice as strong. I gasped, and struggled against his attack, my mind panicking at the invasiveness. Without really knowing how I did it, suddenly, I felt an almost legible snap and my defensive block was up, a solid wall that I could feel and flex and manipulate. I gathered my emotional responses behind the wall.

Without warning, he struck out at my mental wall of defense, causing me to shudder. But rather than just tighten my defenses, I reacted violently, striking back at him.

His sharp intake of breath caused me to open my eyes and look at him in surprise. A look of shock crossed his features. "What? Did I do something wrong?" I asked nervously.

"That's not possible," he murmured. I had no idea what he was talking about, and couldn't dwell on his confusing words, because suddenly, he was pushing back into my mind.

This time, I was ready. I breathed a soft sigh of relief when I felt my defenses holding strong. The longer I held though, the more a new feeling wound its way through my mind – power. I felt it flow through my veins and I craved more of it. I had a willing subject right in front of me. Surely it couldn't hurt to just take a little taste of him. I reached into his mind, slowly at first, feeling his resistance. A lust for dominance flowed through me and I attacked his mind, feeling a break in his defenses. I was close – so close – to breaking through and making him mine. I gathered every bit of strength I had and struck again, violently assaulting his defenses. The sound of his harsh breathing propelled me forward, knowing it would only take one more strike to defeat him. Without warning, his large hands gripped my shoulders, and pushed me back, causing a break in my concentration. "Stop trying to compel me," he said through gritted teeth.

Wait! What? Compel him?! Was that the barrier I felt in his mind?

Before I could even register what that might mean, I felt another wave of uncontrollable heat. Intoxicated by the thrill for dominance, now flowing unchecked, through my body, my earlier desire broke through, hard and strong. I licked my lips. I knew it wouldn't take much more for me to take control of him, and I knew exactly how I would break him. My fingers slid down my chest, undoing the few buttons that held his shirt around my body. I peeled it off of me, leaving me naked in front of him. My inhibitions were gone, stripped away by the thrill of the power surging through my mind. "Do you want me to fuck you?" I purred, crawling toward him on the couch. I suddenly knew exactly what it felt like to hunt – to see through the eyes of a predator with prey in my sights.

His eyes flashed black with lust, a low growl vibrating from his chest. Before I could register his movement, he grabbed me, cradling me against his chest and strode purposefully toward the French doors.

My concentration broke in an instant. A squeal of shock crossed my lips.

We were just steps from the pool.

"What are you doing?" I hissed, writhing against his unmovable hold.

"Cooling you down," he stated calmly and then tossed me in.

I was only able to gulp a short breath before gravity took over and I went under the water. The sudden assault of the liquid stunned my flesh. My head bobbed back up and broke the surface. I sucked in a deep breath and struggled to get my body properly oriented with my feet under me. I found I could touch the bottom. I whipped my head around to find him sitting against the edge of the pool, with a smirk on his face. "Feeling better?" he asked innocently.

I scowled and made my way over to him. If I knew that he couldn't easily stop me – and would probably do something worse to me – I would jerk his smug ass into this pool right now. All right, clearly, I was going to have to be cleverer if I was going to beat him. I snapped my defenses in place to hide my emotions. He looked at me warily when he felt my defensive shift in position. I planted a smile on my face and asked coyly, "Help a girl out of the pool?" I lifted a hand up to him.

His eyes narrowed. "What are you up to now?" he asked suspiciously, but took my hand and gently lifted me out of the pool. I stood at the edge and ran my hands down my hair, trying to squeeze as much water out as possible. The breeze shifted and goosebumps appeared on my arms and legs. "Come," he murmured, his eyes concerned at my naked, wet and now cold state.

I stood in front of the slow burning embers in the fireplace, letting it warm the front of me before turning around to warm my back. Myrnin wrapped his shirt around my shoulders and settled back down on the couch. I tried to recall how many times now I had put his shirt on and taken it off again. Too many, I decided and gave up counting, so I could refocus my attention on Myrnin. I wasn't even sure what I wanted to accomplish by getting past his defenses; only that I craved to control him. I reached again, applying pressure around the edge of his block, subtly trying to find a weakness.

Apparently, there was nothing subtle about my new advance, because he leaned forward, his eyes flashing. "Be very careful how far you push me," Myrnin warned in a low voice. "If you don't behave, I will make you beg me."

I was too far gone to have any remaining reasonable thought. All sense of self-preservation was elusively missing. Only the challenge of him remained. All I needed to do was get him to lower his guard; to relax the block that he was trying to maintain. I had almost gotten through before. I knew I could do it again and this time he wouldn't be able to keep me out. I changed tactics, "You're right. I am incredibly tired; we really should get some sleep." I said sweetly, locking him out of my emotions. He would have no way to second guess my intentions. I settled at the end of the couch, trying to control the tight spiral of desire I felt when I looked at his bare chest. I contemplated what I wanted to do with him once I was in control. Ripples of lust flowed through me again.

"The scent of your arousal tells me that you are lying," he smirked.

Damn his heightened vampire senses.

My eyes narrowed.

Suddenly, his expression changed. A wicked smile curled on his lips and his pupils dilated completely. "I did warn you," he reminded me.

I inhaled sharply, knowing he wasn't going to hold back. Alarmed, I wondered if I was strong enough to resist him at full strength. I should have known that was a stupid question. Abruptly, vivid images flowed into my brain. I knew we hadn't moved; I could still see him sitting across from me. But, I could also see the pictures he pushed into my mind: his naked body pinning me down dangerously; his fingers finding their way to stroke and tease me between my legs.

I gasped, struggling to force the images out of my mind. He growled at my resistance, and the pressure of his mental control grew exponentially. Not only could I see the images of him making love to me, but now I felt his touch against my skin. The onslaught was fierce. My breathing was harsh; I panted and squirmed, crossing my legs tightly together.

He chuckled and leaned back casually on the couch, looking at me with a calculated gleam in his eye. Abruptly, the mental image and physical sensations changed. Now, I saw him inching down past my belly button and then felt him take me into his mouth, his tongue finding the most sensitive and intimate parts of me. I released a high-pitched needy whimper, my legs trembling.

"Come here," Myrnin commanded, his voice rough.

I was happy to go to him. I desperately needed him to satisfy the overwhelming desire that burned in my core. I eagerly straddled him, rocking my hips against the hard bulge in his boxers.

He made no move to touch me. Instead he growled huskily "Tell me what you want?"

"Please…please," I whimpered, twining my fingers tightly in his hair; my chest heaving.

"Please, what?" his hypnotic voice purred, as he brought his hips up once to meet me.

I cried out, "Please…touch me! Please…I need you…inside of me." I moaned desperately. My need was painful as I writhed against him.

His lips crashed down on mine as he carried me to the bedroom once again. The images and devastatingly pleasurable touches, in my mind, stopped when he set me down on the bed. I breathed in relief, my mind clear again. He took off his boxers and climbed onto the bed with me, sliding my legs apart and settled over me. Instantly, as if I didn't have control over my own reaction, I pushed for dominance over him in my mind again.

He shook his head and hissed, "Really?!"

I tried to control it, but it just flared stronger.

"Okay," he growled and shocked the hell out of me when he flipped me over to my hands and knees, pushed my chest flat to the bed, and thrust into me from behind.

I screamed out in pleasure, "Myrnin! Yes! Yeeesss! Yesss!" My reflexive-response to control him completely broke, as he took me relentlessly in this position.

A tiny part of me relaxed, hugely relieved to finally not be struggling for power anymore. The rest of me was trying to remember my own name, when he reached a hand around to my front to pleasure me with his fingers. I was so close and he wasn't slowing down. With each stroke, I rushed toward that blissful release I knew he would give me.

And then it hit. My entire body contracted rhythmically, repeatedly clenching down hard, around him. He hissed and within two more strokes shuddered with his own release.

I collapsed on the bed, breathing hard. Myrnin rolled on his back to the side of me, getting his own breathing under control.

My mind flew through the memories of the last hour. I was slightly appalled and embarrassed at my behavior. I remembered the way I acted in my insane attempt to control him and began to giggle, laughing at my own ridiculousness.

Myrnin's head fell to the side, looking at me lazily.

"I'm sorry," I whispered with a slight blush, in between giggles. "I didn't mean to…I mean…I don't know what came over me…"

Myrnin grinned and replied, "That was definitely…unexpected."

"Thank you," I murmured.

He smirked, "For which part? Throwing you in the pool or fucking you until you finally got control of yourself? You do have control of yourself now, right?"

A short burst of laughter bubbled out of me as I replied, "Both. And yes, I have control."

He looked back up at the ceiling and breathed, "Shit, you were a handful," a touch of amazement in his voice.

For some reason, his words made me blush with pleasure, and I curled my body into his side, ducking my head against his chest.

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Well, I think this is the longest chapter I have ever written. I considered breaking it in half, but thought it would interrupt the timeline too much.

I know it's crazy intimate, but I was going for realism within the plot line and mutual respect/love from the characters...and a touch of humor...

So...thoughts on this one? Is the story going as expected? Did anyone expect him to toss her into the pool? Gotta say, that was one of my favorite parts of this chap. He he

Oh, and show some love to the Favorite/Follow buttons, if you liked the chapter. :) :)