I could feel her readiness through the silk of her briefs and I hummed in anticipation of what I was about to do.

My finger dipped in again, though this time it was beneath the band of her right leg. A sound almost like a whimper came from her lips as I came closer to the place we both needed me to be.

God, she was so wet and open that I almost passed out from the hunger of needing to possess this gift beyond price.

I painted my fingers in her desire, never once breaking the lock of our gazes, the look of her pleasure tearing through me like a wildfire. Her eyes glowed with an inner light, sucking me in deeper against my conscious will. With every stroke of my finger, I felt as if the touch were upon me as well and my body responded, helplessly pulled into the tide of her want.

I entered her quickly, helpless to do anything else, and she hissed out a breath as her hips responded to my thrust, bucking up against my hand, impaling herself further while capturing me and holding me close.

Together we worked into a rhythm, staring so deeply into one another's eyes that it was as if we were but one soul sharing two bodies, both of which were aflame with need.

"Yes," I breathed as I watched her climb the peak of our mutual creation.

Her eyes grew heavy lidded.

"Don't close your eyes. Don't shut me out. Share with me. Please." I used my voice in tandem with our shared movements, bringing her up and setting her free to soar.

She fed me her climax through open eyes which drilled into me and took me with her on her flight to the heavens. My whole world became the blue sky above and the sea below with nothing else from horizon to horizon. It was a soul-shattering experience; her vulnerability and total openness to me in that bright second the most precious gift I'd ever been given.

As our breathing began to steady, I noticed that the vast blue ocean had prismed with tears. My heart jumped up in my throat and I tucked down close to her, gathering her in my arms and sprinkling her face with tiny kisses. "Oh no, don't cry. Oh, god, please don't cry, Ice."

She didn't make a sound. Sobs didn't shudder through her body. Her tears were silent ones. But she responded to my fervent embrace, holding me almost convulsively as the tears scalded the skin of my neck.

After a long, silent moment, the world whirled around me and I felt myself pressed flat on my back, pinned in place by six feet of aroused and passionate prisoner. Her mouth met mine without gentleness and I tasted the salty tang of tears on her lips as her tongue deftly wove its way around mine.

There was an urgency to her movements as I felt her reach down and jerk the briefs from her hips. When she settled back down against me, straddling my leg, I groaned aloud at the heated moisture liberally coating my thigh.

Ice grunted in reply, her hand sliding quickly down my body, her weight shifting slightly so that my thighs parted wider beneath her. Her fingers worked their way between our sweat-glued bodies as she continued to kiss me with a feral, primal intensity that might have been frightening if it hadn't been so arousing.

She pulled her lips from mine at the same time she entered me, burying her face in my hair and groaning as she thrust deeply into me, using the weight and motion of her entire body to add power to her movements.

I gasped as I was suddenly filled, squeezing my eyes tight against the invasion, moaning deep in my throat with the pressure and feel of her long fingers stroking and thrusting against me.

Sweat liberally coated our bodies, making us slide against one another in an effortless, erotic dance. Ice kept tempo with her soft grunts in my ear. My moaning entreaties added a melody line. My heartbeat was loud in my ear. Her murmuring, first soft, now guttural, even louder.

Her strokes became long and hard as she bucked against me, rucking the sheet up under my shoulderblades and knocking the pillow to the floor of the tiny trailer.

I urged her on, wanting, needing more. Always more. I was so close. I could see the precipice painted on the inside of my eyelids.

She responded instantly, surging into me, her whole body in motion. Her soft grunts gave way to sharp pants and I knew she was nearing the edge. At what seemed the very last second, she slid another finger into me, stretching me wide, filling me completely.

I knew the second she went over. Her body shuddered down its sweating length and her hand convulsed, claw-like, within me as her sharp teeth sunk into the muscle of my shoulder. I cried out.

Her fingers pressed hard against the very spot I needed them to be and I took off like a rocket, my own wracking shudders all the more sweet for being subdued beneath the weight of her heavy, muscled body.

With a last, low, protracted growl, she slumped full on me, her breath gasping out against the sweat-soaked skin of my neck.

Pleasant spasms continued to spark through me as the motion of her breathing caused her now limp fingers to move deep within me, touching off tingles of sensation that rose to the crown of my head and fell to the tips of my toes.

I sighed out my bliss and she responded by nuzzling closer, kissing the mark she'd made on my shoulder before burrowing into the fall of my hair and cleaning the sweat from my neck with long, languid strokes of her tongue.

"Oh, sweet . . .Jesus," I whimpered as her fingers withdrew from me to move up and caress the slickness, stroking me gently, but with a surety that was intoxicating to my befuddled senses. I turned my head, needing desperately to connect with her.

She latched on to my lips, kissing me with a tenderness that was the antithesis of our previous coupling, yet no less arousing because of it.

Shifting again, she came up onto all fours, straddling my hips with her knees planted on either side, all without breaking the heart-stopping kiss or her tender, erotic stroking.

In a show of supreme control, she lifted her free hand from its place beside my head, and captured my hand, sliding it down her drenched torso to where she was all heated openness for me. Releasing my hand to continue on its own path, she collapsed down on her elbow again, moaning softly into my open mouth as I explored her softness.

I mirrored her movements against me as best I could. I must tell you, though, it was very hard. She seemed to have my entire body under her seductive control. I felt like a marionette in a puppet-show for adults.

I stopped trying so hard and gave my hand free rein. When she gasped and surged against me, I knew my instincts had been correct. I didn't have time to gloat, however, as her touches turned more insistent and coaxing.

My own sounds of pleasure filled the cool night air.

The end came quickly. We were both too ready for it. I climaxed first and she positioned herself over me so that she could get what she needed from me during that eternal minute of blinding passion.

When it was over, she came to lie between me and the wall. With ease, she turned my pliant, nerveless body so that my back was to her chest. Slipping one arm around my waist, she tugged slightly till we fit snugly together as two pieces of a human puzzle. "I love you, my Angel," she whispered, laying a kiss to the back of my neck.

"I love you too, Ice," I mumbled, shivering with warmth as she nuzzled against my neck.

Within seconds, we fell asleep, spooned against one another, spending the first night ever lying in one another's arms.

My dream had come true.

PART 13.

I AWOKE THE NEXT morning to the sound of a heart beating steadily in my ear and the feel of gentle fingers tracing abstract patterns on my back. I blinked my eyes open to find gentle blues centered on my face. Ice smiled. "Morning."

I yawned, arching my back in a stretch. "Morning. What time is it?"

Her head tilted as she looked over to the clock hanging over the sink. "Almost eight. Sleep well?"

Yawning again, I dropped my head back down on Ice's warm chest with a thud. "Best three hours of sleep I ever had."

Her chuckle rumbled through my ear, vibrating against my whole body.

We had woken up twice more during the night to make love. The second time had been near dawn. If the trailer had had windows, I would have loved to watch the sun rise with her, but since there were no windows, we performed our own little ritual.

Ice's gentle touch against my back was making me sleepy again. "Mmm. I had the most wonderful dream."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. You and I were sitting on the porch of my cabin by the lake, watching the sun set over the water. I could smell the pines in the breeze and we listened as the crickets and bullfrogs came out to play. It was wonderful."

I could feel Ice stiffen beneath me as her heart picked up its rhythm. I slumped, damning myself for fifteen kinds of fool. Why did you have to say anything, Angel? You've just ruined the morning. Way to go, kid.

But Ice relaxed again, her hand picking up where it had left off, tracing over the lines of muscle and bone in my back. "Sounds like a nice dream."

When I looked up, I caught that look of almost infinite sadness in her eyes once again and in that moment I would have given up anything, even my chance at freedom, even my chance at loving her, to take it away forever.

I blinked and the look was gone, pushed down to whatever hell the demons of her soul resided in. "I'm sorry," I whispered.

Her smile was as sad as her eyes had been moments ago. "Don't be. Dreams, sometimes, are the only thing that makes this place bearable."

And again, the next question came out of my mouth without my permission. "Do you dream?"

"Sometimes."

"About what?"

"Nothing as nice as yours. Mostly about those I've hurt or killed. Their families."

"Those aren't dreams, Ice. Those are nightmares."

I could feel her shrug beneath me. "Nothing more than what I deserve."

I sighed. "Ice, I told you this before. Guilt can be a good thing. It can stop you from repeating mistakes. But you can't let it rule your life. If you do, you'll never be able to live it."

"That's easy to say, Angel. It's a whole lot harder to do."

"I know."

"You have given me something, though."

"I have?"

"Yes. Hope. That one day I'll find another way of dealing with my anger. That I won't become that person I was before I met you." Her smile was brighter as she ruffled my sleep-tousled hair. "You really are my Angel, ya know."

She sealed her words with a kiss.

When the knock finally came to put an end to our wonderful day, we were ready, packages in hand, orange jumpsuits once again covering our bodies.

I felt tired, pleasantly sore, and deliriously happy. We'd made love again before slipping off to the shower. The tight quarters, and resulting close press of our bodies, sparked our passions once more until it was all I could do to breathe, let alone think about moving.

Finally, we prodded ourselves to get dried and dressed. The packing came next. The clothing would be kept with our other personal effects in the huge storage room next to the warden's office. My new piece of bonsai art, since I couldn't keep it in my cell, would reside in the library where I could look at it daily. Ice promised to teach me how to care for it myself.

Keys slipped in the lock and the knob turned. Bright sunlight filtered in, causing us both to wince at the change from the dimness of the trailer. Sandra greeted us both with a friendly smile. I smiled gratefully back, beyond happy with her part in this wonderful experience for me.

Taking our clothing and tucking it under her arm, Sandra led us back down the fenced walkway and into the prison proper. After stepping inside the musty building, the door guard patted us both down, then Sandra escorted us down the long hallway and into the main square.

The sounds of talking and the quick rush of bodies was almost overwhelming after our short interlude in the trailer. I blinked, trying to get my bearings once again.

A noise started off to my left, low, then gaining in volume and pitch until I wondered, blankly, who had let a bird into the prison. Then I saw a flash of orange and white and stepped back, almost dropping the bonsai tree as Cassandra came running toward me, her mouth opened wide in a hideous screech while her manacled arms and legs jangled from the weight of the chains.

I stood there, dumbly wondering how she move so quickly, bound as she was, before I was shunted hard to the right as Ice's long body smoothly interposed itself between me and the screaming banshee heading toward us.

Normally, I might, at some level, have resented the protective stance Ice took, knowing that I could now well take care of myself. But Cassandra was, as they say, a whole different kettle of fish and I accepted the protection of her strong back gratefully.

I was pushed further away as Sandra dumped the clothing in her arms into the grip of the door guard and moved to stand next to Ice, protecting me further from the impending explosion of blonde, insane fury that was headed our way.

Cassandra kept coming, her fisted hands held chest high as her screech continued unabated, it seemed. Startled prisoners automatically stepped aside to let her pass as her guards tore across the square after her, red faced and huffing.

Ice took a long step forward, neatly intercepting the enraged woman. Cassandra pounded my lover's chest with her manacled hands, screaming obscenities in an abnormally high voice.

From what I could gather, both my ancestry and what I might have done for a living prior to being incarcerated here were being called into question. Then, her head turned, insanely sparkling chocolate eyes meeting mine and I was left with no doubts. "You're dead, little Angel. You're nothing but a little whore who's tempted my precious Ice away from her path with me. I'll see you in Hell, Angel. Hell! Do you hear me?!?!"

Though I was well protected by both Sandra and Ice, I couldn't help the fear that ran through me at her screamed invectives. If there was anyone in the prison who could easily carry out her threats, Cassandra was that person. Still, I captured the fear deep within me, determined not to give her the satisfaction of knowing she had slipped past my defenses.

The other two guards caught up to Cassandra finally, grabbing her around her skinny waist and shoulders and yanking her hard away from Ice. She refused to relinquish her grip and there was a loud tearing sound as Ice's jumpsuit began to give up the ghost under the pressure of her insane strength.

Ice lifted her hands. grabbing Cassandra's manacled wrists. Jabbing her thumbs over the sensitive nerves just under the skin, she forced Psycho's grip loose and the screaming woman was pulled fully away, hissing and spitting like a feral cat in a hunter's net.

"Call the hospital," Sandra shouted to be heard over Cassandra's howling. "I think it's time for her shot." After the women dragged her away, the guard turned to me, concern in her eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Wha--? Oh, yeah. Fine." I let out a shaky little laugh. "I guess I should be flattered, huh? Looks like I've become Public Enemy Number One with her."

Sandra patted my shoulder. "God willing, she'll be in the hospital for more than twenty-four hours this time. When she gets back here, we'll keep an extra close eye on her."

Like you did just now? I almost said aloud before thinking better of it. In a way, Cassandra was like a greased pig at the county fair. It seemed almost impossible to keep her from doing something once she had her mind set on it. I'd just have to keep an eye out and protect myself as best I could. "Thanks," I said finally.

Ice turned, not bothering to hold together the jumpsuit which had been totally rent at the chest. I found my eyes drawn to the swell of her bare breasts just visible in the 'V' of the parted fabric. "Sorry about that," she said in a low voice, totally unselfconscious.

"Hey, no problem. She didn't almost rip my clothes off, after all."

Ice looked down at her exposed cleavage, then back up at me, and shrugged. Her gaze was intent as it locked into mine.

I smiled. "I'm fine. Really. Between you, the Amazons, Corinne and the guards, I've got more eyes on me than a rotten potato."

Ice screwed her face up at my analogy, startling a laugh out of me. Sandra and the door guard joined the levity and soon the fright of Cassandra's murderous threats slipped to the back of my mind.