Bones crunched and blood spilled from them as their features became human. A muzzle receded into one's face. I thought I was going to be sick or possible wet myself. At that stage of the game neither one would have bothered me in the least.

Two naked men stood before us when the transformation was finally over. They were identical in every way. One had a little bit longer coal black hair than the other. They looked to be only five foot seven or so in human form, a sharp contrast to their beast body. I couldn't help but notice how gifted they both were in certain areas. They could have made a fortune in a twin strip show, but their eyes gave them away. Fiery red eyes still stared out from their well-crafted bodies. The night by the river ran through my head. Those were the same type of eyes that had come rushing towards me.

"Jacob and Jonathan Wilson, say h.e.l.lo."

"h.e.l.lo," they said in unison. This was too much. I almost burst out laughing. I stopped and thought about what she had just said. Wilson? Jacob and Jonathan--those were Rick's boys' names. A horrible thought came to my head. They had murdered their own father because he had figured out what they were and what they had done. That is what Talia had meant by them 'severing' their ties to the human world. Oh my G.o.d! The room felt suddenly hot, making me sick to my stomach.

Talia stepped between them and ran her hand along Jacob's body. She turned and did the same to Jonathan. They were both hard and ready when she took another step toward us.

"As much as we would love to stay and play with you, we really must be going," Pallo said. I was amazed at how calm he kept his voice, even though I could feel his fear as if it was my own.

"You never used to run off before the festivities began. Are you softening with old age?"

She was really starting to get to me. I wanted to walk up to her and slap her right across the face. Pallo sensed my urge to hit her and shook his head.

"Don't tell me you do not miss the days of old." She held her knife out threateningly.

He stiffened. "No, Talia. I have left the days of torturing others behind me now, you know this."

She looked pleased. "Yes, I had heard that you gave up your naughty ways. Why is that?"

"I had no reason to hate anymore."

"You harbored much hate for two hundred years, what would change you so? Did you finally get over your little loss?" She talked with her hands, the knife skimming past Pallo's chest. "I found your circ.u.mstance very unique. Tell me--how long after you were made did you have your heart broken? Less than half a year, if I'm not mistaken. To be made immortal and to lose your love.... Tell me, was she worth it? Did she f.u.c.k good enough to warrant leading you to the Devil himself?"

"I do not wish to discuss this with you," he said, restrained violence in his voice.

"Answer me, Pallo. I asked you a question." She lashed out and cut his chest. Blood pooled onto the floor, nearing my feet. Jason and Jonathan started to look restless. I could tell the smell of blood was exciting them, and it made me sick.

Talia struck Pallo again, catching his face.

"Stop!" I yelled and took a step out from behind him.

"No!" he shouted, trying to pull me back.

Talia looked at me, her yellow eyes flaring. "The virgin speaks."

"Leave him alone."

"Would you beg for your lover's life?" Her voice had gotten soft, and that scared me.

It was hard to find the courage to step in front of Pallo, but I did. That put Talia and I eye to eye. Her breath was hot on my face. I made a point of looking directly into her eyes. I wasn't going to let her see me back down. She was p.i.s.sing off the wrong girl. I growled low in my throat.

Talia's eyes flickered and turned green, and then it hit me. I knew where I'd seen her before. She looked different with clothes on, if you could even call them that. She was the woman I walked in and found Ken with.

"I know you! You're the wh.o.r.e who slept with my fiance." The words flew out of my mouth with such force I spit on her.

She smiled. "You will have to be more specific if you want to get a rise out of me."

"Kenneth Harpel."

Yellow flooded back into her eyes. "Harpel? The Law." The name slid off her tongue like a snake. The supernatural papers had been referring to Ken as 'The Law.' He had gotten the nickname from successfully prosecuting more than a hundred supernatural felons.

"You ... you are the one who interrupted me. He was not easy to seduce, but I did. No mortal man can resist me."

"You've got to be kidding me." I rolled my eyes.

Talia touched her nose to mine. She licked the corner of my mouth. "I was going to kill him after I f.u.c.ked him, but you came in and spoiled all the fun. I couldn't bring him back to me. His love for you was too strong. That took the fun out of it." She said love like it was a dirty word.

"Ha! You don't know Ken very well. He only loves himself." I started to laugh in her face. I don't think she appreciated that much. Her knee came up and caught me in the gut. I fell forward and came within inches of running my face into the knife in her hand. Pallo grabbed my body and eased me to the floor.

Talia reached over me and slashed at Pallo again. He must have been expecting that because he dodged it. Her other hand flew up and struck him with such a force he went airborne.

I screamed for him. He was weak enough as it was without this b.i.t.c.h throwing him around. I tried to kick her in her kneecap, but came up short and got her ankle instead. I screamed at her. "Leave him alone!" She didn't flinch.

"Aren't you the brave little one?" She spit the words at me. "He is good, but is he good enough to risk your life for?"

Pallo slumped on the ground behind me. He was losing too much blood. He was dying.

"Pallo." I didn't turn to look at him. I was afraid to take my eyes off of Talia. I got to my feet and tried to focus on calling an element. Some Si, witches, and other creatures of magic have the ability to call upon the elements of earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. At that particular time I didn't care which I got, I just wanted one. A tingle started in my chest.

"Come, Pallo, let us spark the flame of hate in you once again."

She put her finger on my breast and pushed. It felt like a truck had just plowed into me. My feet left the ground, and I flew across the room. My upper back hit the ground first. I was thankful it wasn't my head, or I would have been knocked out. Being unconscious with she-vamp in the room wasn't high on my to-do list.

Talia crossed the room and bent over Pallo with her knife. She licked the blood from the end of it and leaned into him. Lifting his arm, she turned his wrist and made a long slice down the center of it. He winced in pain. Blood didn't pour from it as it should have, and I knew that meant he was close to death, or whatever it was that happened to an already dead guy.

I pulled my aching body off the ground. "Get the f.u.c.k away from him, now!"

My power built inside me. I hadn't learned to control it yet, but I didn't really care how it manifested itself, just so long as it did. I thought back to Nana's teachings. She had spent months working with me on this. The most important thing I needed was a target. Talia's little lap dogs appeared as if on command before me.

"My pets will teach you some manners, young one."

Jacob hurled his body into mine, and we crashed onto the floor. The room faded in and out for minute. I blinked. Jacob's red eyes burned brighter. He smiled. His body weight had me pinned to the floor. s...o...b..r fell from his mouth onto my forehead. I tried to wriggle free from under him, but he was too strong.

I kneed him in the groin. Pleasure blossomed on his face.

"More," he said, his voice raspy and low.

I struggled to free my arms from under his body and dug my nails into his face. Jonathan seized hold of my wrists from above my head. Jacob's hands moved down my body as he started to raise my nightgown. I kicked out at him. My foot came in contact with his jaw but it didn't faze him. He slid the nightgown over my waist, grabbing at my thighs. I kicked him again. Jonathan pulled on my arms harder. The way they were yanking on me, I'd be torn in two in no time.

I heard someone screaming and realized it was me. I looked around the room for Pallo. I was more concerned for his safety than my own. I caught sight of him. Talia dragged his limp body toward me. She had her fingers twisted in the top of his hair, pulling him. She was a vampire, so she made dragging a two hundred pound man look easy.

"Look," she said pulling his head up. "We wouldn't want you to miss the show."

"Talia, kill me instead. Leave her be," Pallo said, looking at me. I pleaded with my eyes for him to stop. I didn't want him to sacrifice himself for me.

She pulled his head back further. "I have seen you do worse than this. Why the change of heart, Pallo?"

"Take me and leave her, I beg you."

She let go of his head and started to laugh. The sound of her laugh made me feel like bugs were crawling all over me.

"Pallo, you do not beg. You are holding out on me." She pressed the knife to his throat. "If you are willing to die for her she must be some f.u.c.k. Let us all see. Shall we?"

Pallo screamed and lunged towards me, but he was too weak to reach me. I could see the determination in his eyes. He wanted to save me.

Talia stepped over the back of him. "It seems that I have found the match to light your fire of hate again, Pallo."

She left him lying there and started towards the door. "Make Mommy proud, boys," she said and walked out. This woman was too much. If I managed to get out of this alive, I was going to kick her a.s.s--or kill her, I couldn't decide, right now I was leaning towards the felony.

Jacob lifted my gown higher, exposing my b.r.e.a.s.t.s to him. He grabbed them with his hands, cupping me tightly, his claws digging deep.

"Get off me, puppy breath!" I screamed in his face and tried to bash him with my head.

He raked his claws down my stomach, and I felt my skin rip open. I screamed in pain. "Screw you! You are nothing but father-murdering little p.r.i.c.ks! Rick should have drowned you at birth, you, you...."

Pallo lay motionless on the floor near me. I closed my eyes and concentrated on him. I visualized a white light between the two of us, connecting our thoughts.

"Pallo," I called his name in my head. "Pallo, please don't give up." I was pushing this thought at him as Jacob's hands kneaded my b.r.e.a.s.t.s harder and harder. I brought my focus back to trying to connect with the element of fire. I pictured it in my head. I thought of the ingredients used to conjure fire. The smell of nutmeg, lemon, and cinnamon came to me. I absorbed the scents, let them dance about my head until I felt a tightening in my chest. Heat rose to my face and up my arms, wanting somewhere to go.

Jacob had moved from my b.r.e.a.s.t.s and was pressing himself against my abdomen. I could feel the rounded tip of him through my thin panties. I screamed for Pallo in my head, screamed and called for my power.

Jacob pried my legs open. I brought my foot up to kick him again, but he caught hold of it. This put my body in the perfect position to accept him into me. He smiled and started to push himself closer to me.

I cold feel Jonathon pulling harder on my arms. He was trying to tear me apart. I closed my eyes. I let the power flow up my body and spill out towards him. Jonathan let go of me and screamed in pain. I could smell burning flesh, but I didn't open my eyes. I hoped the b.a.s.t.a.r.d burst into flames.

I grabbed Jacob before he could enter. I let the heat pour from me onto him. He tried to free himself from my grip. I held fast until there was nothing left to hold onto. Something dripped onto my stomach. I opened my eyes and saw a burnt, melted hunk of flesh laying on me. I screamed and let him fall away from me.

I scrambled to my feet and looked down at him. He was holding his hands between his legs. It took a moment for my head to register what it was I was looking at. He was holding himself, and trying to fight to keep from being disemboweled. There was no skin or muscle left to hold him together. There was no evidence at all that he was male. He looked at me with eyes of fire and fell onto the floor at my feet. I felt a wave of nausea hit me. I dropped to my knees on the floor and brought my hand to my lips. I could still feel the hot energy running through me.

"b.i.t.c.h!" was all I heard before I was knocked over. Jonathon tackled me to the ground, slashing at me with claws that had sprung from his burnt fingers. I lifted my hands to protect my face and his claws ripped into the under side of my arms.

Movement caught my attention, blurred above me as Jonathan's body flew off and slammed into the wall. Pallo stood above me and dropped beside me, reaching for my arms. I didn't want him to touch me. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to control the power in me. I could feel it still beating in me, strong and ready to lash out. He grabbed my hands and pulled me to him.

"No!" I screamed.

Lightning flashed through the room. A thunderous crash came from above us as the room went black.

Chapter 15.

We found ourselves sitting on the floor in the yellow bedroom. Pallo was still clutching my body to his, and I screamed. I no longer felt my power rising through me. I pushed him away.

"Did I hurt you?" I asked, trying to catch my breath, my heart beating so hard, I could feel my neck pulsating.

"No, I am fine." He sat next to me on the wood floor.

I looked at his face and saw no trace of color left in his skin. I watched him start to rot before my eyes.

"You're hurt," I said to him, reaching out to touch his ripped-open face.

He slid his hand up to meet mine and turned my arms upwards. Jonathan had managed to slice most of the skin away, leaving bone exposed in places. I could see Pallo fighting with himself when he saw all of the blood dripping from me. He took my b.l.o.o.d.y gown from my shoulder and pulled it down. My b.r.e.a.s.t.s spilled out, but he didn't seem to notice. He stared at the marks on my stomach. He laid his hand gently on one and I cried out.

"I will get something to cleanse your wounds." He tried to stand, but came crashing down on the floor. I grabbed his shoulders and pulled him toward me. I began to lose feeling in my hands as my body slowly shut down. I knew that if I died Pallo would, too, and I couldn't allow that to happen. I would not lose another man I loved.

"Pallo! Pallo!"

He had no pulse. Did he ever have one? I couldn't remember and they skipped vampire resuscitation at the Red Cross.

Pallo's body lay limp on my lap. I t.i.tled his head back, pinched his nose, and put my lips over his mouth. I blew two breaths in and then thought about how ridiculous it was to try to resuscitate an already dead guy this way. I knew I was losing blood too fast, and then it got harder for me to concentrate. Then it hit me. I lifted my arms over his mouth and let the blood drip down to him. It filled his mouth quickly. He wasn't drinking it. I thought he would magically spring to life, but he just lay there.

"Swallow, d.a.m.n you, swallow!" I cried as his head lay in my lap. "Don't you dare leave me now ... ti ama." I didn't know why I said that, and I wasn't even sure what it meant. I smacked him across the face. It was bold and violent, but it worked. He swallowed.

His chalky white skin showed signs of color.

A ringing started in my ears. Dizzy, I laid my head on the floor. I looked as Pallo's face blurred before me. I was so tired now, and I wanted to rest. I just needed to sleep for a little bit and then I'd check on him again.

Darkness swept in around me. It was so quiet and peaceful. Something soft and warm brushed across my stomach, arms, then lips. I opened my eyes and found Pallo kissing me. His eyes were closed and his brown hair fell around my face. Every sane part of my body yelled for me to push him off of me, every other part pulled him closer. I grabbed hold of the back of his head and forced his mouth onto me harder.

His eyes opened as he pulled away from me. I held tight to his hair, and pulled him closer to me. He moved until he was on top of me, kissing me. I closed my eyes and envisioned the two of us holding hands and walking along the river's edge like in the picture. In my mind I saw us as we had been, unharmed. No knife wounds were on him and I was free from the deep claw marks that had were all over me. I saw us embracing each other with such love that I cried. Pallo's voice blew in on a gentle breeze, and I heard the words "Ti amo--I love you."

I opened my eyes. Pallo kissed my neck and whispered in my ear. I don't know if he had told me he loved me again or if I had just imagined it. When he looked at me, the cut on his cheek had healed.

I reached up and touched his chest. It was perfect, not a mark on it. He lifted his hand, grabbed hold of my arm, and looked it. I expected to see a cut, anything, but my arms were healed. I was the one who pulled the gown down further this time. My stomach was smooth, firm, and in one piece. I looked up at Pallo, confused.

"What happened?" I asked him.

"Magic," he said, breathily.

Pallo bent his head down to kiss me again, and I welcomed him. We couldn't get enough of the taste of each other. I rubbed my naked b.r.e.a.s.t.s against his chiseled chest and I could feel myself moistening, longing for the feel of him.

Pallo rubbed his body against mine. I could feel him through his pants, hard, and ready to take me. I pulled at his back and tried to get my hands down far enough to touch his waistband. Guided by raw need, I wanted to feel him in my hand. He slid down and kissed my neck. He licked me as he moved down to my collar bone. A moan escaped from my mouth, and he laughed softy against my skin. He brushed my left breast with his hand. His mouth moved over it and sucked on my hard nipple. Each slow pull in his mouth, each flicker of his tongue, made me thick with cream and need.

My thoughts jumbled, and I fought to keep hold of myself--to maintain control. I had never been this close to an o.r.g.a.s.m without actually having s.e.x. The dry hump I'd been after upon our first meeting was turning out to be in my top three s.e.xual experiences. I wasn't sure if he used vampire powers on me, or if he was just that skilled as a lover, and I didn't care.

I thought about how gentle he was, and about how rough I wish he would be. I wanted him to pin me down and ravish me. I knew he harbored a demon within him and wanted him to channel some of its wickedness on me. I'd never wanted a man to use me to satisfy his own needs more than I wanted Pallo to. Pleasing him was my only priority.

Pallo ran his fingers down my stomach. He stopped at my navel and he planted tiny wet kisses along it, r.i.m.m.i.n.g it. He teased me for a moment before moving down, over my patch of black curls, and settling his face between my legs. Cool fingers parted my velvety folds gently, caressing my ready nub as they went. I waited for a finger to slip into my hot channel and was surprised when his tongue plunged.

I cried out and my mind dove elsewhere. I seemed to leave my body, yet go nowhere. The horrible visions of death came flooding back to me. I fought to stay, mentally, with Pallo, but I wasn't strong enough.

I stood in the corridor from my dream again--my eyes were still closed and my head was tipped back. Fear gripped my body and left me paralyzed--stuck to the door, unable to move while something slid down my body. It traced its way down me, scratching me with its nails as it went. I could feel welts forming, and knew if it applied anymore pressure it would draw blood.