"Jesus," Cheri gasped, "he's bigger than normal, which is huge."

"He is full with seed," Lydia explained. "In the future, I will show you how to do this for yourself."

Trying not to giggle too much, Cheri beckoned Lexus with a curled finger. "Come here, big guy, I wouldn't want all of this effort to go to waste."

Smiling broadly, Lexus moved forward until his full c.o.c.k tapped at her v.u.l.v.a.

Cheri lifted her knees and tilted her pelvis. With one swoosh he was in her to the hilt. She laughed aloud. "Do you notice I open to accommodate and accept you without trepidation?"

"I do."

She wrapped her legs around his b.u.t.t. There was only one more thing to do. She grinned at his wide open eyes and sank her fingernails into his left shoulder. His eyes clouded with pain as she clawed at him repeatedly. Satisfied she'd marked him for a lifetime, she lightly tapped his b.u.t.t. "I believe you've been saving something for me."

His roar shocked her eardrums. Then he drew back and hurtled forward over and over, emptying himself. She giggled. Even his ear splitting growls failed to intimidate her. His hips stopped moving, but his c.o.c.k continued pulsating in her depths. She brushed his hair back from his brow, questioning.

It was Lydia who spoke, "Don't be alarmed. He may spurt for an hour."

Cheri smacked her lips and watched Lydia tend his shoulder wound while Selma took her fingers into her mouth, cleaning them of any dried blood. The girl didn't attempt to hide her joy at Cheri's choice of Lexus or at her pleasure with the task of suckling her fingers.

"We will leave you now," Lydia said, giving Selma a stern stare. Lydia's mouth softened. "We are eager to teach you the arts of loving a woman."

Cheri nodded. "Give me a day or two," she moaned.

When the women left, Lexus raised his head to look at her deeply. "You do me and Atlantis a great honor."

She squeezed his p.e.n.i.s as it continued throbbing within her. "I am honored. I thought I was searching for Atlantis, but you were searching for me." She pecked at his nose. "So it's rare to find someone Above with my lineage."

"Exceptionally rare. Few seem able to reproduce with non-Atlanteans."

"So there are males too?"

He gave her a quirky smile. "We don't look very hard for males."

She scowled. "This is a society based on equality? Don't the women want some new males?"

"Women have equal seats on our ruling council." He winked at her. "Why would an Atlantean woman want to settle for a man who cannot stay hard long enough to completely satisfy her?"

"Ah," Cheri replied. "I might think that question a little c.o.c.ky if I didn't have your guy still filling me." She kissed him and grinned. "And I do believe I'm going to concur with the other women of Atlantis."

CROSSING OVER.

Sarah d.i.c.kson Stefan gripped the rail of the deck and looked out into the dark waters of the Azov sea. Lights from the stars bobbed in and out of existence from the ripples in the water. Darkness fell where the hilly landscape met sea. Could they be near the portal to Atlantis?

From the rivulets of energy that trickled over his body, the energy surrounding him was unbelievably strong, stronger than any other thin place he had visited in the past five years. Stefan rubbed the nape of his neck, but it did little to settle the combination of unease and exhilaration he felt. She must be out there, waiting. After all it was midsummer where the energies were at their strongest.

Nathan reached his side. "The air feels weird, like someone ran an electrical charge through it."

For his fellow scientist to sense anything at all was unusual. Normally in their travels around the world, Nathan sensed nothing at all. They made a good team for that reason. Nathan the rational and Stefan the one who sensed anything remotely linked to the spirit realm.

"You think this is where Atlantis is?" Nathan asked.

The Azov Sea wasn't exactly the logical place one would find anything. The depth of the water was only in meters. Any discovery would have been made long ago, yet the dreams couldn't be ignored. She was here, he was sure of it.

"A portal is the only possibility." Nathan glanced towards the cabin. "Adam reckons the energy readings are almost off the scale, supporting what you suspect."

A hot spot, just as they have found in Glas...o...b..ry, Isle of Mull and other places where thin places existed between this and the otherworld.

"Come and have a look," Adam called from behind. He sounded excited.

They huddled around the laptop. Colors on the screen drifted in and out of focus. In the other places they'd visited, the veils between worlds had appeared in a similar way. As for spirits, they appeared nothing more than wraiths, disappearing as quickly as they formed. Not so this time. The colors shifted into a shape of a woman, just beyond the bow of the boat.

The energy at the base of Stefan's spine surged, causing him to grip the table for support. Heat burned in his solar plexus radiating down to his groin. It had to be her. No one else caused such a reaction to his body and mind. The need to find her became overwhelming. "Where did she come from?" he said as calmly as possible.

"I have no idea. She just appeared in the water."

Stefan looked more closely at the image. Long tendrils drifted about her. Could it be very long hair? He had dreamt of her with long hair, flowing about a lithe body as pale as the moon. Not so, her face, which always ended up appearing blurred.

She came closer, as if studying them.

He leaned forward, hoping by doing so he'd see her face rather than looking through the equivalent of a foggy window. No such luck. Again, he would have to use his imagination to what the color of her eyes might be, or if her lips were full or thin.

"Are you sure it's her?" Adam asked.

Stefan nodded.

"If you're right, we've captured a spirit that has shifted into our world." Adam ran his hand through his cropped hair. "This is amazing."

The image blurred. Next moment, she moved out of range.

"She's gone, "Adam said.

Despair tugged at his chest. Don't go. Not after I've been following you for so long. Stefan raced up the stairs. "I'm going up for a look." A splash in the distance followed by another closer to the sh.o.r.e, then...nothing. The energy at the base of his spine receded, as did the heat in his groin. While the lack of energy came as a relief, losing her again wasn't. He would have to wait another six long months and hoped she would return.

Nathan reached his side. "Want to go and have a look?"

It took all his effort not to jump into the water and follow her. He walked towards the dingy. "Let's go."

Serena cursed herself for coming in too close. How did she know the equipment could detect her? Having no idea of its range, she retreated to the sh.o.r.e. Unfortunately, from here, she could see and hear nothing. In the water, such barriers were meaningless. She should have slipped through and disabled the equipment. And then what? Did she truly think it would stop Stefan's quest?

Come on Serena, the quest is mutual. You know why you want him.

"Stefan," she whispered. "What are you like to taste. What are your generous lips like to kiss?" On the few occasions she'd ventured to the edge of the veil, and now beyond, confirmed what she had antic.i.p.ated. Aside from the need to take him as a mate, he possessed such potent psychic energy. Between them, they could produce the most incredible child, one who could live in both worlds.

If only she had been so gifted, but since she wasn't, she could create one who would. After all, Atlantis was also the perfect place to bring up a child. The city's history, oracles and sheer architecture rivaled any other place in existence. Now all she had to do was entice him her.

As she considered how, the lowering of a dingy solved the problem. Stefan would come to her. As for his companion, she could easily render him unconscious until dawn. Pleased, she slipped through the veil, and waited.

Stefan checked the distance to the sh.o.r.e, about twenty meters.

Nathan steered the dingy towards a small beach. "This will do."

The energy didn't increase when the dingy thudded against the sh.o.r.e. Stefan climbed out and looked around. Aside from a few trees, nothing else was visible, save the silhouette of nearby hills, which blotted out the stars.

Had she left him? "I think-" Suddenly, a loud snap filled his ears. He stumbled backwards and fell onto the sand. Slowly the turning stars came back into focus.

The tingling sensation in his body shifted to a gentle hum. He sat up, about to warn Nathan. Except he and the dingy were gone. Looking out towards the ocean, so had the yacht. Heart thudding, he tried not to panic. Didn't he suspect a portal to another word?

The warning came back. Cross over and you might not get back. His initial relief turned to unease. What if I can't get back? Since lying here wasn't going to solve anything, he stood up, dusted the sand from his pants, kicked a sandal forward and removed sand lodged between his toes.

What do I do now? He took a step towards the sea's edge. Where there was darkness, now he saw lines of pale mist. He dipped his hand in the lines moved around his fingers. Where am I? Regardless of where he was, he couldn't do anything stupid like swimming out, certainly with no yacht waiting.

There's only one thing for it. Find out if she brought me here. Stefan turned back towards land. Lights from further inland flickered where none had done so a moment before. He blinked as if the mirage before him would fade. He squeezed his eyes shut and reopened them.

The light looked like torches flickering.

He tried to steady his breathing. Am I really here, in Atlantis? With nowhere else to go, Stefan walked towards them. Slowly the air became heavier, more moisture laden. The shirt he wore felt too warm on his back. Warm water swirled around his ankles. He looked down and fine lines ran past his feet, just as the sea had done past his parted fingers. He lifted his leg and his pants remained dry. I'm hallucinating. You can't see water and not get wet.

"Stay where you are." She appeared from nowhere.

Long hair swirled around her pale body just beneath the invisible water line, not so her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, just above the line. Strands appeared to be randomly placed and some missed the nipple on her right breast. Heat returned to his groin with force.

She's exactly as I imagined. His gaze swept the length of her, pausing back at her face. The waterline rose and her hair shifted, hiding her nipple. Warmth reached his waist. Panic set in as he looked down. I'm going to drown.

"You'll not drown if you stay beside me." She reached his side, took his dark hand in her fair one. "You are in Atlantis." Her eyes were black orbs in this light. "You've wanted to come here and now you have. Don't you want to see my world?" The tremor in his hand betrayed the controlled nod he gave her. She turned towards the city. "Look."

Now he saw a great stonewall that rose from the gloom. Beyond the wall were rooftops of buildings. Here was an ancient city beneath the water. It defied reason and yet here it was. Unless I'm having the greatest hallucination in my life.

"We are in another plane of existence, as you already know. There's nothing to be afraid of."

He blinked several times, not quite able to take it all in. "So we're not in the Azov Sea."

"There is no reference to your plane of existence." She ran her hand down his arm, sending a sliver of heat over his arm, pausing at his wrist. "We'll go below."

"I can't breathe underwater."

"My presence creates an aura that enables a mortal to breathe."

That surprised him. "You've brought others from my world?"

"Yes."

He looked back towards the sea, wondering if he would ever see his friends again. Surely if people had returned, he would have heard about it? Wouldn't he? Think clearly. "How come I've never heard of anyone returning?"

"We make them forget." She steered him towards the city.

"How?"

"To protect our secret."

It made sense, but he didn't want to forget. Since he would be forced to, Stefan would have to savor every moment of his time here.

"Follow me."

He tried to, but the heaviness surrounding his body made it almost impossible.

"Stefan?"

Her words were full of repentant pa.s.sion. His body responded with the need to reach over and kiss her pale lips. Wait a minute. "How do you know my name?"

"I heard your friends talk to you on your vessel."

Of course. The image on the computer. "When you visited us?" Her finger ran lazily over his lips. She pressed in and he opened his mouth. She tasted of salt.

"You've seen me over the years as I have seen you."

He took her hand in his and drew her finger out. "Why now?"

"It is time," she murmured.

It then occurred to him he didn't even know her name. "Who are you?"

"Serena."

What a lovely name. He wondered where it came from, but before he could ask, water covered his chest. Panic set in. "How do I breathe?"

"As you normally do, now come."

He sank below the surface and breathed in. The sensation was like being in heavy, thick air. Did fluid go into his lungs? It didn't feel like it. When he exhaled, he thought he saw bubbles rising to the surface. He breathed in again, and if there was water there, it filled his lungs as easily as air. "It's an illusion, isn't it?" he said, surprised his words didn't come out like gargling sounds.

"My aura enables you to talk and see as if you were in air."

Her voice sounded normal. Weird. He looked ahead, and gasped. Two great pillars marked the entrance.

"The portal to our city," she said.

They pa.s.sed the grand pillars into living history. Streets were lines with ancient roman-like buildings. Time spun back. He had seen such buildings as ruins in Rome and Athens. These weren't even showing decay. How could that be? Wetness formed on his back, forcing him to kick forward.

Serena turned around. "We're deeper now. You can't stray too far or you'll drown."

His unease at being so close to possibly drowning faded a heartbeat later. While the buildings were living representations of an ancient past the people were totally different matter.

A couple swam past, with children in tow. Both man and woman had long hair swirled about, then bodies like living robes. The children weren't so concerned about their modesty and let their hair drift behind them. n.o.body wore clothes.

"What amuses you?"