"React?"

"Yeah, here I'll show you." He took my hand and put it over the shape of the moon. I felt like I knew him, really knew him, but I'd only just met him. Yet, somehow touching him felt so very comforting. His body was a heck of a lot warmer than Giovanni's, but I got the point. It was just a tattoo. "Now, think something wicked or evil while you touch it, be sure to pull your magik up when you do it."

I gave Mikhail a funny look. He tightened his grip on my hand. I couldn't come up with anything. "Sorry ...."

"Think about Fritz."

That worked. I felt myself getting agitated with the thought of him acting like a jerk every time he was around me. He thought he had a right to call me whatever he wanted and to continue to insult me. I wanted to drag him by his flock-of-omni hairdo and drown him in the pool. I thought about how good it felt to throw power at him and felt my fingers tingle with my magik.

Mikhail's tattoo heated. He drew his lips in. I knew it must be painful so I yanked my hand away.

"What happened?"

It took him a minute to compose himself. He looked down and touched his tattoo. His hand came away quick. I felt like a giant b.o.o.b for causing him pain.

"I'm sorry, Mikhail ... I ...."

"No, it's all right. It's good to know it still works."

"What do you mean?"

He glanced at the stable, put the blade of gra.s.s in his mouth and used his tongue to roll it around his lips. I never wanted to be a piece of vegetation so bad in my life. He looked like the poster boy for cowboys incorporated lying there. If I wasn't neck deep in men with issues I'd have made a move on him. He did have a steady pulse and that was a plus. Turning into a monster puppy dog on a monthly basis was an issue.

"Your dad's the King of the Dark Realm right?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Right and well we all know he can be a son-of-a-b.i.t.c.h when he wants to be and since you're his daughter you ...."

I knew what he was getting at. As much as I didn't want to admit it, it was there. "I'm the King's daughter and he heads what humans think of as the underworld. He can be a b.a.s.t.a.r.d, I get that and since I'm of his blood I'm one, too."

Mikhail sat up and shook his head. "No, Gwen, you have the potential for evil, we all do, but you've got a weird situation. For thousands of years your bloodline has kept the creatures of the night in order. It takes a certain type of person to do that and well, you're next in line for the throne, so you do the math. I'm not saying you're evil, if anything, Gwen ... you fight your dark side and keep it beat down. I think you're attracted to Pallo and Giovanni because they represent everything you don't allow yourself to be. They're the darkness to your light."

"That's great and I know you're right, but what does that have to do with your tattoo heating up?" I was suddenly very uncomfortable talking about my ability to scare the c.r.a.p out of demons. Being feared by all wasn't something I strived for. Most of the time I was happy when I shooed a spider and it left my area willingly.

"Sorry, I needed to explain that to you before I just blurted out the fact the tattoo is to ward off or warn of dark magik."

Dark magik? I possessed dark magik? I was happy he'd gone into the family tree spiel prior to dumping that on me. I don't think I'd have taken his tattoo reacting to my anger so well if he hadn't warned me.

"But, why do you and Giovanni have them-the tattoos?"

Mikhail leaned back on his elbow and tried to avoid looking at me. "Not just Giovanni and me, Caradoc and James do, too."

I pulled my feet in and sat with my legs crossed in front of him. I pushed my black skirt down to avoid giving a peep show and pushed my hair behind my ears. I liked to do that when I was trying to soak things in, as if it would help. It was amazing I hadn't been doing it non-stop lately.

Mikhail continued, "I've known Giovanni as long as you have. Your father gave me to him as a pet."

I blinked several times, sure I'd heard Mikhail wrong. When he made no move to amend what he'd said, my jaw dropped open.

"My father treated you like a dog?" I couldn't hide the disgust in my voice. I wanted to smack my father. The very thought of him behaving that way sickened me.

"Well, in hindsight, I deserved it. I was newly made and having problems controlling myself. I... I killed innocent people more than once and your father gave me to Giovanni for punishment."

Shifting positions, I tried my best to keep my legs from falling asleep. Mikhail smiled at me. I was enthralled and he knew it. "Well, Giovanni taught me a lesson and I knocked off the killing of innocents. It only takes one night at the mercy of Giovanni to get a point across." He shuddered as if remembering exactly what that night had been like.

"I didn't hold it against Giovanni. I was thankful he'd broken my urge to hurt innocent people. He was... is... considered my master, but now more than anything he's my friend." He rolled onto his back and put his hands behind his head. "James and Caradoc used to be Giovanni's, too, and well ... we sort of had a problem with dark magik affecting some of us and when it was done we vowed to never let it happen again, so ... we found help from a powerful white magik faerie and here we are today, marked and all the better for it."

I had so many questions for him. I wanted to know about the dark magik they'd encountered. How long Caradoc and James had been with Giovanni and so many other questions. The one that popped out my mouth surprised even me. "So, if you've known Giovanni since before me, then did you know me?"

"Yep."

"I don't remember you." My body tensed. "No, that's not true. I sort of know you, but something is different now."

He pushed himself up off the ground and extended his hand down to me. "We were all close friends for many years, you and I had a different bond for many, many years until ... let's just say our bond was our downfall."

I had opened my mouth to ask him to clarify that when I heard Malita's voice. "Mikhail ... oh, I didn't realize you were busy." She sounded like she wanted to be throwing fireb.a.l.l.s at us. If I had thought she had a bit of faerie in her I would've been scared.

"What's up?" he asked obviously annoyed by her presence.

She stepped towards us and her gaze fell on me. I was losing my urge to smack her upside her blonde head every time I saw her. I was impressed with myself.

"Giovanni said to get packed. We're leaving in the morning and heading back with Gwen."

Chapter Twelve.

I sat at the dinner table and stared down at Giovanni. He knew I was p.i.s.sed at him, and he was avoiding making eye contact with me. He sat down there sipping his blood and listening to something Candy was saying to him. I could see the effort in his jaw as he tried to avoid screaming from sheer boredom. I pushed my carrot parfait around my plate. It was as disgusting as it sounded. The lamb Ester had made was good, but I wasn't hungry.

Glancing down at Giovanni, I excused myself. Mikhail stared up at me as I walked out. I felt bad for being a b.i.t.c.h in front of him, but there was no way that I was riding in a plane for close to seven hours with them. Mikhail I could stomach, but the other four I couldn't take in confined quarters that long.

I stormed upstairs and made sure to slam my door hard. I wanted the world to know I was p.i.s.sed. Heading straight for the bathroom, I took the box of scented bath salts out and dumped them in the tub. I turned the k.n.o.bs and let the water run, undressing as the large old petal stool style tub filled.

Someone knocked softly on the door. I turned around and peeked out. Giovanni was standing there with a tiny half-smile on his face. He batted his long black lashes at me and I felt the corners of my mouth give into a smile. I opened the door all the way and turned to get in the tub.

The water was hotter than I'd been aiming for, but it'd do. I climbed in and sank down. Giovanni moved to the edge and sat. He had to push the white shower curtain back out of the way. I giggled as he fought with it. He was smooth in so many ways and human in so many others.

"Are you going to tell me why you are upset with me? Or will you leave without me knowing?"

"No part of me wants to sit on a plane with those people. Don't get me wrong, Mikhail is fine, but the rest? Come on, Giovanni, you can't be serious."

"Oh, Bella, I am serious. Have you forgotten about the attack? I do not wish to send you home alone. Once you are safe and Pallo and his people are looking over you, then the omnis can go."

He leaned over and picked up the bar of honey-scented soap. He dipped it in and got a rich lather going on his hands. Brushing my hair aside, he washed my shoulders and back. I forced my body to relax. As his fingers moved lower, I turned and looked at him.

He was wearing, shock of all shockers, a dress shirt. This one was white and I'm sure hundreds of dollars. I put my hand on his wrist.

"You keep getting your clothes soaked and you're going to regret having me here. I won't be allowed back on the grounds that your dry cleaning bill went through the roof while I was with you."

"I think that we both know that you will always be welcome here, Gwyneth. This is your home, too." He unb.u.t.toned his shirt. I loved the show so I didn't say anything.

He tossed it onto the bedroom floor. "Better?"

"Yes." I noticed the tiny white scars on his chest. I knew he had them. I'd seen them at Pallo's house. I'd almost forgotten about them. They were so faint that you could only see them in the right lighting. "You never told me what happened to your chest."

I put my hand up towards him and he took hold of it. He extended my fingers outwards and placed them over the tiny white scars. He pulled my hand down his stomach and I curled my fingers in shock. His scars matched my hand exactly.

"You wanted to know the truth and this is part of it," he said, moving my fingers over his chest again. "You did this to protect yourself from me, and I have worn the mark of my betrayal for centuries. You made sure I would wear them forever, as a reminder. See, Pallo is right about me, I am wrong for you. Go tomorrow with the omnis to your Caleb. You have a new home now and people who love you there."

I turned in the tub and got on my knees. I put my hands over his scars and let the water run down his washboard abs. Sliding my fingers over his belt, I began to undo it. He tried to pull away.

"Gwyneth, have you heard nothing I just told you? You had to resort to clawing at me for your life and in the end, that wasn't enough. How can you stand to touch me now, after knowing this? Go home to the people who love you."

"I have someone who loves me here, too, or at least I think I do," I said, working harder on his belt. I finally got it undone and then had to start on his pants. "That's what you told me right? You said you loved me. Is that true?"

Giovanni grabbed my elbows and pulled me up and out of the water. His mouth moved close to mine. I thought he was going to say something. He caught me off guard when he planted his lips against mine and kissed me with so much pa.s.sion that my knees got weak. When he was done, he lowered me back into the tub. I had to hang onto the side because I was still shaky.

He stood quickly and headed towards the bedroom.

"Giovanni," I called out, but he continued to walk away. I jumped out of the tub and tried to take the bathroom in two strides to avoid falling on the now sopped floor. I failed miserably. My right foot gave first. It moved out from under me and my left foot give way as well. I put my elbows back to break the fall, but that was all I could do.

Scented cologne and black hair overcame me, as Giovanni's arms moved in and around me. His hands moved behind my head and back and he managed to stop me from falling onto the bathroom floor. He had grabbed me at an odd angle and my very slippery body caused him some difficulties. I felt our bodies going backwards. First, his back struck the dresser and then we bounced off that and headed towards the bed.

Giovanni let out a small grunt when his body landed on the bed. I landed right on top of him and tried to roll off him. We were entangled in a snare of arms and hair.

"Running on a wet floor can be dangerous. I would have thought you'd have learned that one already," he said, looking up at me with his onyx eyes and a s.e.xy grin on his handsome face.

"So can trying to walk out on me! That's what you were doing right? I a.s.sume your little tell-all about the scars followed up by an earth moving kiss good-bye, meant that you're trying your hardest to get me far away from you." I was so mad I was shaking. He was doing his best to untangle us, but I wasn't helping. Having him pinned beneath me on the bed equaled having his undivided attention and that was just what was called for.

"d.a.m.n you for thinking you know what's best for me. My father's the same way and look at what a mess I'm in. d.a.m.n you, Giovanni!"

He shifted his body weight enough that he was able to flip me over, leaving him in charge and on top now. He s.n.a.t.c.hed both of my wrists and pushed them up and over my head. Cold hard energy radiated from him. His long black hair covered most of his face, but I knew a change when I sensed one. I struggled to break free of his grip. Pallo's warnings had fallen on deaf ears and now I was about to learn my lesson the hard way.

Giovanni's face came down fast. I thought he was going to take a chunk out of me. Instead, he stopped just above my face and stayed still.

"Bella, look at what you wish to keep." His voice was a least two levels lower than normal. I closed my eyes tightly, having no wish to see him like this. I'd seen Pallo's demon come through and would never forget it. No part of me wanted to remember Giovanni like that.

A sharp fingernail ran down my cheek. He wasn't hurting me and that said he had phenomenal control over his demon, but I still didn't want to see him like that. His finger moved down between my b.r.e.a.s.t.s and started moving in a circle. My mind started to fog. My chest grew cooler and cooler. I kept my eyes closed tightly and tried to push his fingers away from me. He grabbed my wrist and pulled my hand to his chest. My fingers traced over the old scars that I had given him and his breathing changed.

"I could leave you no option but to do this again, Bella. I have the power to induce desire, I am sure Pallo has warned you of this. I could make you want to touch me in my full demon form." He moved my hand lower and I felt the top of his open slacks. I pulled my power up and didn't need to think of Fritz this time. Giovanni's trying to push me away was hurting me enough already. I let a small spark of magik free from my fingertips. I could feel his skin warming by his tattoo. The magik behind it knew that my magik was turning darker. Giovanni released my hand and it fell away. He let out a gasp and I opened my eyes. I caught the tail end of his vampire performance. I watched as his nose narrowed to its normal size, the red specks in his eyes leave and his fangs recede.

He stared down at me, normal and beautiful once again. "Bella, how did you know?"

"About the tattoo? I saw Mikhail's and forced him to tell me about them."

Giovanni looked horrified. I grabbed at his shoulders and tried to pull him down to me. He wouldn't budge so I ended up hanging from his still raised body. I planted tiny kisses on his jaw and neck.

I could feel him fighting to not surrender to me. He was trying his hardest to send me running from him. I didn't know or care why. He was four months past getting rid of me now. I kissed along his cheek and moved back down to his neck. I bit down and applied enough pressure for him to take notice. He moaned and I knew that I had him. It was his nature to want to combine s.e.x, pain, and blood. He fought his demon every second to try to be normal and I knew that every now and then it needed to come out and play.

Giovanni shifted the support of our bodies over to one arm and moved his other lower. I brought my legs up and wrapped them around his waist. His hand brushed past my inner thigh as he worked himself free of his pants. I let up on the pressure and licked a long line to up to his ear.

"Come with me. Come Stateside."

"You are going back to your faerie and Pallo. You will not need me."

"I've never stopped needing you, Giovanni."

His body stiffened and he tried to stand. I knew I couldn't let it end like this between us. I pulled my head back enough to move down his neck and then I slammed my mouth down on it. I bit down hard and felt my teeth break through his skin. Instantly, my mouth filled with his blood. He let out a cry and thrust himself into me. I wasn't quite ready yet, so I was tight and not nearly wet enough to help Giovanni slide in easily. I drew in a deep breath and in the process filled my mouth with more of his blood. This sent him into a fit of hard dives into me. He dropped me to the bed and rode my body all the way down.

I let go of his neck and fought the urge to throw up from the taste of blood in my mouth. Looking up at him, I noticed that the red flecks were back in his dark eyes. His lips came down on mine and he lapped up the blood in my mouth. I pulled his head closer to me and kissed him back. My body loosened for his and the pain that had been emanating from between my legs turned to pleasure.

His body pressed firmly against mine and he moved one of my legs down. His hand slid under the other and his fingers caressed my a.s.s, as he moved in and out of me. His head moved to above my shoulder and he struck out at the pillow next to my head like a snake. My face was left pressed into his upper chest and I kissed the tiny white scars that my fingers had made so long ago.

His lower body was rubbing against my swollen spot, caressing it, enticing it and the full length of his c.o.c.k was sheathed within me. I grabbed at his back and fought to get air as my body tightened with his every thrust. He was biting the pillow instead of me and that proved he did care about me, but he was suffocating me in the process. I put my hands under his body and tried to shove him up a little, he wasn't budging. My vision blurred and multi-colored spots appeared out of nowhere. My chest burned and I gasped and got in the tiniest of breaths. The lack of oxygen combined with him in me sent my body into o.r.g.a.s.mic convulsions. The pain in my chest was countered with the pleasure from my lower abdomen.

Giovanni made animal noises and rammed me harder into the bed. I raked my nails down the back of his arms and knew that I was hurting him. I reached for his hands and grabbed them in mine. I forced my fingers into his and held tight. His head shot up off the bed, as he threw himself against me. I sucked in a huge breath of air that felt ice cold while he came in me-filling me with his seed. I was seized by a coughing fit and cried out in between each one.

Giovanni looked down at me and then jumped off me. "Bella, I didn't ... I thought that I was ... Bella?" His hands wrapped around me and he pulled me up into a seated position. My chest was hot and hurt each time the cool air entered it. I put my hand up to my breastbone and pressed lightly. Giovanni attempted to back away from me and I grabbed at him.

"I'm ... okay." My voice was raspy but there. I moved my hand away and stared down at myself. At first I didn't understand what I was seeing. I was covered in something red and wet. Giovanni moved closer to me and tossed his hair back. His neck had a very nasty open wound where I'd bitten him. I didn't have fangs so my bite was messy and must have hurt like h.e.l.l.

The blood all over me was his and when I realized that, I felt sick. I fought to get out of the bed and couldn't muster the strength. "Bathroom!"

He moved his arm under my legs and one under my arms and carried me to the bathroom. He helped me stand and I leaned down and threw up in the toilet. It wasn't pretty and I sure the heck didn't want him standing there watching it happen, but he was and he did, so I had to deal. I felt his hands moving into my hair. He pulled it all back away from my face. He squatted down next to me and tried to rub my back. I pushed at his hand as I threw up to get him away from me. I was so embarra.s.sed.

"Bella, I'm not leaving. This does not bother me. What does is that I hurt you and I swore I would not."

I stopped trying to force him away from me and started grabbing for his hand. He took mine and I held his until I was done. I finally moved to dry-heaving and he ran another bath for me.

I stood and moved over to the sink. I fished around for my toothbrush and started scrubbing. The taste of the foam in my mouth threatened to set my stomach back off. I spat and splashed my face with the cool water from the tap.

Giovanni touched my back and I jumped. I regretted it the second it happened. I spun around too fast and got dizzy. I had to put my hand on the edge of the sink to keep from falling flat on my face. He tried to storm past me and leave the room. I put my hand out and touched his chest. He could have tossed me across the room with one hand tied behind his back. Having me lightly touch him in no way should have stopped him, but it did. His hand came to me and his head dropped downward.

"Saying that I'm sorry does not fix this, Bella." His voice was so low and soft.

"There's nothing to fix. You didn't mean it. You were going out of your way to not hurt me, dolcezza ... honey. Besides I took a nice chunk out of you."

He turned to me and moved closer to me. "Bella, did you just call me honey?"

I thought about it and laughed a little. I guess I had. I didn't know that I was one for pet names. I guess I was wrong. Giovanni pulled me close to him and hugged me tightly. I could feel his body letting out a silent sob. I didn't try to pull back and look at him. He needed this minute of breakdown.

It pa.s.sed as quickly as it came and he stroked the back of my hair. "I had always thought I disliked being referred to as a food product until you were gone, then I missed it."

I had called him honey before? Hmm, I was wondering how much I liked my former self. "Sorry, I promise not to do it again .... It just sort of fell out. I've never called anyone a pet name before."