The muscles in his arms went taut as he rode me. My hands began to tingle, as though they'd been submerged in ice water for an extended period, and I knew that I was a fraction of a second away from losing control.Staring into Pallo's dark brown eyes, I pleaded silently with him to understand. To realize that I could never knowingly cause him harm. My eyes burned and I blinked them rapidly, trying to stop the pain. It eased, just in time for my power to let loose. Pallo's body jerked about me. As rigid as he went, I thought I'd hurt him. He locked his body tight to mine and spit forth his s.e.m.e.n. My channel locked around him, milking him as he continued to come in me. My power moved through us. Pushing a nd pulling. It made our o.r.g.a.s.ms last and last. Each time I thought it was about to end, another wave of my power struck.

Pallo gasped for breath and kept his body tight to mine. He wrapped his arms around me and it took a moment for me to realize what was going on.

"Pallo ... are we still on ... the bed?" I panted, between bursts of his come and my clenching.

"Ahh," his voice sounded labored and he began to pump into me again, while still coming. "That is ... hard to answer. You see," he thrust into me and I cried out. My magic continued to pour through us. "We are more above the bed ... than anything else."

I wrapped my legs tighter around his waist, not wanting to let him go for so many reasons. "How far off the ... ohhh ... slow down a minute." He did and I took a deep breath. "How far off the bed are we?"

Pallo ran his hand down my back and cupped my a.s.s. He didn't answer my question. Instead, he ran his finger around my a.n.u.s, r.i.m.m.i.n.g it, teasing it. I tensed and he let out a manly laugh in my ear. "Fear not, you are not yet ready for that."

I no longer felt him coming in me, but he was every bit as hard as when we began. I wanted to ask him about it, but he beat me to it.

"When one finds a treasure, they wish to enjoy the bounty, not take a little and leave. No, they return," he pushed into me harder, "again, and again until they are allowed to return no longer."

"Ahh ... Pallo."

He pumped into me and held tight for a moment. "Tesoro mio."I stared into his brown eyes and prayed to every G.o.d I could think of to let us be together--to change the events that had played out, allowing us to be together, as it was once meant to be. He would have been my husband. We would have had at least one child, maybe more. And we'd hav e had each other. I'd given up my immortality for him, in my last life, and would have aged with him. Growing old gracefully and with the man I love d was what I wanted most.

"Do not dwell on what cannot be changed. Live the moment," Pallo whispered softly as he began moving steadily within me again.

I dug my nails into his back, clutching him and doing my best not to cause him pain. It was hard. He varied his stroke bringing me again. This was all too much. It had to end or I would die from pleasure. I felt us lift a bit higher off the bed. Oh, G.o.d, if I wasn't careful, I'd shoot Pallo through the ceiling.

I held tight to him and he laughed. "Worry not, fata mia. It is my doing.

Your magic, your body, you, bring me such joy that I am unable to focus as I should."

I would have commented further but Pallo chose that moment to swivel his hips in a rhythmic patterns, leaving his abdomen rubbing my c.l.i.t and his c.o.c.k hitting "that spot." Animal noises ripped from my throat as he pounded into me. Only his hands held me in place, suspended above the bed, with him buried deep. His lips met mine and I lost sense of everything but him. My legs shook. And I fought to keep them wrapped around his waist. Pallo held tighter to my a.s.s, squeezing it, ma.s.saging it as we ate at each other's mouths--pushing me close, oh so close.

Pallo moaned, his mouth still pressed to mine and I gave into the looming o.r.g.a.s.m. I cried out, my lips locked to his and clawed at his back. He came with a jolt and held himself stationary as he filled me with his come. My body continued to tingle and I moaned out again. Pallo withdrew from my core slowly. I was so wet, so full of our combined juices that I was sure I was a mess. He eased his kisses and pulled back just enough.

Our lips still met, but barely.

He smiled. The feel under my lips seemed so familiar. He'd done thisbefore. I was positive! During our time together, when he was still mortal, he'd been known to hold me after making love and smile while he kissed me. Was it really a memory of him or had I invented it to suit my needs?

Pallo smiled more and gave my a.s.s a gentle squeeze. "You did not invent it, fata mia. You are correct. This is how it was for us ... minus the floating of course."

I kissed his lips gently and laughed as I thought about what he'd said.

"My dearest Pallo, surly you jest. 'Tis one of the many reasons I love you."

Where the h.e.l.l did that come from?

He stared down at me with the most peculiar look on his face. "Gwyneth?"

"Yeah...?" That sounded shaky, even to me.

Pallo twisted in the air. I yelped as he flipped me over and onto him. It was then that I saw we were a couple of inches off the bed. He eased us down and held me tight. Bringing his hands up, he cupped my face gently and stared into my eyes. "Does this happen with Caleb as well?"

I gulped. No part of me wanted to discuss what Caleb and I did behind closed doors. Why the h.e.l.l would Pallo want to know about s.e.x with Caleb?

We'd just shared one of the best moments of my life and he wanted to discuss another man?

Sighing, he caressed my cheeks. "No, Gwyneth. I do not wish to know the details of what you and your faerie have done. I wish to know if you are remembering him as...."

"As well as you?" I asked, finishing his sentence for him. He nodded.

"Yes, and no."

Pallo gave me a soft smile and I knew it cost him dearly to put on a happy face when discussing my relationship with Caleb. "You will need to be more specific."

Taking a deep breath in, I nodded. "Okay, yes I remember Caleb but notlike this."

"What do you mean?"

Boy he wasn't going to let up! Nothing like putting a girl on the spot while she's naked and on top of you. "The only memories I have of Caleb, so far, are ones that directly involve you ... I can remember a tiny, tiny bit of he and I together, while I was pregnant with your child, but that's all. Your face haunts my dreams. It's your laughter I hear when I think hard. I guess others memories will come in time, but so far, it's only you." I touched his hand softly and closed my eyes. "Please don't ask me anymore questions about him right now. I know how we are. This will end in a fight and I don't want that, Pallo. I want this to stay perfect."

"As do I, Gwyneth." He pulled me to him and I shifted my legs to straddle his waist. His hard shaft tucked under my body.

"You can't seriously be ready to go again?"

He smiled up at me and melted my heart. "You have this effect on me. You always have. It is you who are my addiction, Gwyneth. It is your face I see when I dream."

For once, I was speechless. I just stared into his chiseled face and memorized every line, every dimple. This would be our last time together and I wanted to etch his image into my mind.

"The night is not over," he said with a wolfish smile.

"No," I shook my head, "oh, no! I won't be able to walk."

"Then I will be a.s.sured you will not wander away." He slid his hand down to my lower stomach. He ran his fingers over me, seemingly drawn to my bulge.

Great, attracted to my newfound fat!

I pushed his hand away and slid up a bit to situate his c.o.c.k under me. I positioned him just right and slid my body down slowly, easily onto him.

I cried out as his girth pried me open--spreading me, teasing me. For a minute, I didn't know what to do next. It wasn't like I didn't haveexperience in the s.e.x department. I just didn't know what to do about the way I was feeling. Sitting on Pallo, our bodies forming one, I knew that I would never stop loving him--that I had never stopped loving him.

Pallo reached up and touched my b.r.e.a.s.t.s, cupping them tight. They were tender and I winced a little. He eased the pressure he was applying to them. My nipples hardened in response to him. They were so symbolic of m y entire body that I couldn't help but lean for his mouth--needing to taste him. His warm mouth met mine and I moved my body on his. The force of h is c.o.c.k buried deep in me was so glorious I cried out and increased my pace.

My knees hurt from rocking on him so hard. I lifted my legs, putting my feet flat on the bed next to his sides. He was still deep inside of me. I pushed off his chest and stood slightly with my legs, pulling myself off his hard shaft. When I had almost reached the tip of him I sat back down quickly.

Pallo cried out and grabbed my knees. I continued to raise and lower my entire body on him, each time Pallo made primitive noises and he grabbed at me with his hands. The feel of me sliding up and down on him made me cry out too. I ran my fingers down his tight abs, leaving scratch marks as I went. His jaw dropped open and from the look on his face, he was enjoying every minute of it as much as I was.

Pallo's body was hot and sweaty. I rode him hard and fast, pushing myself onto him, swallowing him up as if it would be the last time my body ever drank in his. My legs began to spasm and a tingling sensation moved up my body. It seemed to gravitate to my eyes. They grew hot. I hissed, and rapidly blinked, unsure what would cause them to feel this way. Then it hit me, the faerie in me caused my eyes to shift colors when my body was ready to create life. This only happened with a match, a mate. Caleb was my match now and in theory, that meant I couldn't mate with Pallo was well. My burning eyes begged to differ. Pallo couldn't have children.

Vampires' reproducing was almost unheard of. I looked at Pallo and he seemed different through my eyes now--even more beautiful than he already was.

Pallo glanced up at me. His hand came to my eyes. I slowed my pace justenough for him to touch them gently. At first, he seemed puzzled, but then pleased. "As ... it once was ... it is again."

I didn't know or care what he was talking about. All that mattered was him being here with me. I screamed out and rode him harder. He had his hands under my a.s.s in an instant, squeezing it as I moved up and down in a squatted position on him. The tingling moved back down my body, leavin g me moaning over and over again. My power built fast inside of me. This time I didn't fight it. I pushed it out at Pallo. He cried out and grabbed my hips, pulling me down on him firmly, as he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed--filling me up with his come--it was so hot, so warm. His body twitched a little beneath me. I fell forward on him and he held me tight.

Every piece of me wanted to freeze this moment and never let it go. This was as close to perfection as my life got and I couldn't bear to think of losing it. I loved Pallo so much and didn't want to let him go. I wanted to hold him for all eternity. I was afraid to move, worried that he'd tell me I was a wh.o.r.e and that he'd acknowledge that he'd only used me again.

"No, Gwyneth, I did not use you. I have never used you," he said, his voice full of so much sincerity that my chest tightened. He brushed his hand across my cheek lightly. I felt the moisture under the touch of his skin and realized I was crying.

I held Pallo closer not wanting this to end. Knowing this would be the last time we would be together made it bittersweet. At least we'd ended it with a bang, right? Why was it so hard to let go of him?

I knew the answer to that--love. I was hopelessly in love with him.

He touched the back of my head, ran his fingers through my hair, and spoke softly, "Ti amo--I love you."

Chapter 7.

Pallo looked towards the windows. We still had a little while until sunrise and I wanted to get out of the house and walk a bit. I could see the hesitation in his eyes.

"Just around the grounds ... nothing more," I said.

"I would rather lie here and hold you."

I smiled and kissed his full lips gently. "I feel the same way, but my legs are cramping, my back hurts, my ankles are swelling and, well, I'm just a mess. I think a walk will do me good. I've been a bit under the weather and...."

He brought his lips to mine, silencing me. I lost myself in his kiss and whimpered when he took it away. He laughed softly, stroking my cheek.

"Let us go and stretch your legs, fata mia."

We dressed quickly and headed down the stairs. The tickling in my belly began to recede. Maybe, I was finally beginning to shake the flu bug.

We headed out the front door and down the steps to the yard. I chose to walk towards the woods I had found Pallo staring at earlier. He followed close behind me.

"Gwyneth?"

I walked at a slow pace as I answered him "Yes?"

"Are you going to marry Caleb?"

"I said yes to him and then we exchanged power." As soon as I said it, I had a gut wrenching pain in my abdomen. I bent forward and it pa.s.sed quickly. A dull pain in my low back remained, but it wasn't something that I couldn't deal with. Pallo didn't seem to notice my discomfort.

"If that is what you desire, then I am happy for you."I knew the minute he said it that he was lying. But there was nothing I could do to prove it. I'm not even sure why I said yes to begin with. I hadn't intended on marrying Caleb, but I think part of me knew that Pallo wasn't capable of committing. As much as I loved Pallo, I couldn't go through the rest of my life as nothing more than s.e.x to him. He'd made it very clear once that that was all I was to him. As much as that hurt to hear, I was still pleased I'd repeated my "mistake" with him. He could think of me as nothing more then a notch on his bedpost for the rest of eternity but he'd always be so much more than that to me.

His confession of love in my bedroom had thrown me for a loop. Not so much so that I was willing to risk my future on him. He'd fooled me once before in the area of love. I couldn't handle having it happen again.

Caleb would treat me like a princess and never expect me to just be there for him s.e.xually. He would be my life-long companion in every sense of the word. He'd never use me for s.e.x and then discard me until he felt the urge to satisfy his needs again. No, he loved me with all of his heart. I knew this, yet I still felt uneasy about marrying him. I'd hoped that my romp with Pallo would push me one way or the other. It just served to confuse me more. Now, I had put my heart on the line with both men.

Glancing over at Pallo, I wondered how he felt about what we'd just done.

As much as he hated to admit it, he and Caleb were friends and this was going to damage that severely. I wanted to be more concerned, I knew I should, but the pains in my back moved to my stomach and I suddenly felt flushed. I wasn't liking this human flu bug very much.

Something small and gray hurried past me in the pre-dawn darkness. I stopped and stared around for it. Then I caught sight of it. It was an adult rabbit. Something primitive rose in my body. I stayed focused on the rabbit. Its ears perked up. Lunging at it with amazing speed, I sunk my teeth into it. It twitched for a minute as my mouth filled with warm copper tasting liquid. My body felt better, warmer. Something grabbed hold of my shoulders and tore the dying rabbit from my face.

Pallo stood before me holding onto my shoulder firmly, staring at my face with a look of shock and horror--almost disgust. I could feel the rabbit's blood running down my face and slid my tongue out to lick it, as I heard myself laugh.What the h.e.l.l was I doing? I just attacked an innocent little bunny. Oh my G.o.d, I bit the thing practically in two. I should have felt sick to my stomach, I should have puked my guts out, but I didn't. Oddly enough, my stomach felt the best it had all day. "Something's wrong with me, Pallo."

"I know."

Chapter 8.

We entered the kitchen quietly. James was cleaning up his scrambled egg mess when he caught sight of me. "What in the b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l happened to you?" He threw Pallo an accusatory look.

I waved my hand in the air, hoping to avoid another ugly scene. "No, he didn't do anything, really. It was me. I, I..." I couldn't get the words out. I wasn't sure how one goes about saying that they'd just attacked an innocent little bunny and drained it dry.

"She fed," Pallo said those two words and the room fell silent. Caradoc had appeared near the hall entrance at some point in the conversation but did not ask any questions. Pallo had summed it up nicely.

Pallo led me to one of the kitchen chairs and I sat. He bent down in front of me and lifted his hand towards my neck. I didn't protest I just let him do his thing. He tipped my head to the side a little. "Have you seen Giovanni recently?"

Giovanni? I was shocked. Giovanni had been Pallo's master for over two hundred years. He was a gorgeous Italian vampire with long sleek black hair and hypnotically dark eyes. Oh, did I mention he and his cronies were the ones who killed me in my last life?

Yeah, I palled around with him all the time. Not.Everyone claimed that at some point I loved Giovanni and that I'd been his companion for almost a hundred years. They also claimed that he was the "badest boy" in town. It was rather ironic considering that in my present life he'd already saved me once, and begged for my life to be spared another time. I'd even bargained with him for Pallo's freedom.

Giovanni got to take a big bite out of my neck in the deal, and Pallo found himself a free man. All I got out the deal was bit, bruised and mixed emotions about a man I knew I should be terrified of--Giovanni.

He was over five hundred years old and everyone told me that his bite gave him enormous powers over me. The thought of anyone being able to bend my will terrified me and I couldn't believe Pallo had brought his name up. The last time I'd said Giovanni's name aloud he magically appeared. I didn't want to make that mistake again. We shared some sort of connection, one that transcended s.p.a.ce and time. As much as I tried to instill the fear of G.o.d in myself when thinking of Giovanni, I couldn't.

The tangled mess that had become my mind still seemed to think there was something redeemable about him. But I wasn't willing to bet my life on it just yet. Besides, I was conflicted enough already. I didn't need to add another dark and brooding vampire to the mix. Pallo was all I could deal with as it was.

I pushed Pallo's hand away from my neck. "Of course I haven't been around him."

Pallo smiled slightly then looked nervously up at Caradoc. "She has a bite mark." Brushing my hair back, he showed the right side of my neck to Caradoc. James poked his head in around them and Pallo snarled at him.

"Did you do this?"

James was stunned. "No, Master ... I would never hurt Gwen."

"Don't call him master. I hate that. You're not his d.a.m.n dog. And NO James has never bitten me. You on the other hand have!" I glared into his dark brown eyes daring him to contradict me. He scared the s.h.i.t out of Caradoc and James, but I wasn't frightened of him. Well, not that frightened of him anyway. He stood up and stepped away from me. I'd struck him below the belt with my last comment. I was only half sorry I did it.Caradoc leaned in closer and checked my "wound" with his fingers. He sniffed it. That was a little creepy, but I let it go. "Master..." He stopped and looked apologetically at me. "Pallo, it is only hours old and...."