"Are you still in pain?" He was obsessed whether or not I was still hurting, bless him.

"Not a lot," I lied.

"I wish I could take it away but unfortunately, I cannot heal what is not broken." This made sense as it was nature so he kindly reminded me.

"But maybe I could still help." He lifted back the covers and lifted my top exposing my bare stomach.

"Hot or cold?" He asked showing me his hand.

"Umm... hot please." He nodded and placed a very warm hand across my skin and pulled down my trousers exposing more of the area where I hurt. The heat helped more than I could have imagined. I relaxed back and let his warm tingling hand make my pain fade.

"Is this helping?" He asked after I was silent for a while.

"Oh yes, better than any painkiller." I said smiling to prove just how efficient it had been.

"Good," he said into my hair.

"You're like a hot water bottle without having to wait for the kettle to boil!" He let out deep and rough laugh and this brought a smile to my pale face.

"What did you dream about?" His question caught me off guard and I stiffened up in his hold. I knew I couldn't get away with pa.s.sing it off as nothing but I really didn't want him worrying anymore about me. Well there was one saving grace....at least I hadn't dreamt of Lucius. When I didn't answer he took my reaction for what it was and rested his lips at my ear.

"Tell me," he whispered but this made my stomach flutter and not from pain. His scent always did crazy things to my body and mind. I sighed and looked up at the carved roof of the bed. Then I explained my dream to him but leaving out the details was hard to do when he kept asking questions. I could feel him grip the covers and heard a ripping sound when I told him of when she stabbed me.

"Draven! You promised you wouldn't overreact!" He let go of the covers and made the material heal itself. When it was finished knitting itself back together you couldn't even tell where he had torn it. I looked round to face him and noticed he was deep in thought. I took a moment to study his features that were harder than I was used to. He was clearly not happy that I was being made to witness these things but come on, it had been far worse when I was seven! And then, of course, I didn't have my own delicious protector to wake up to, even if I had bled on his fancy bed.

"Were you frightened?" His voice was trying to stay neutral but it sounded strained.

"Yes, but mostly, I just wanted something big and pointed to whack her with! I wanted to help George." This brought him back to being my Draven. He kissed my cheeks while he was still grinning to himself. It was probably the thought of me swinging a big sword like Zena the warrior princess but knowing my luck I would get it so high above my head and then fall backwards with the weight.

"You would make a fierce enemy to have. I would not like to get on the wrong side of you." Ok, so now he was most definitely teasing me "You have been on the wrong side of me and you survived."

"Barely!" He mouthed over my skin before kissing me and he held my face in his unbreakable hold so I couldn't pull away. Of course after about three seconds I didn't try to any longer. His hands moved around to my neck and down my back making my body cry out for more. Then my new situation must have dawned on him as his hands released me.

"How long does this last for?" He asked in a hoa.r.s.e voice as he was clearly desperate to have my body in more than an embrace.

"Umm...usually a week." I said in a hopeless tone. How would I last the night let alone the week! Now this was painful.

"I could sleep at home if it would make things easier." I didn't really want to do this but I didn't want to make this harder on him. But this wasn't the right thing to say as he let out a low growl and his face turned stern.

"Keira! Do you think I only get pleasure from your body? It pains me to be away from you and this is not just down to what your body does to me." He scolded and I blushed but for once I hoped it turned my skin a healthier colour.

"It is your mind and heart that captured me, your body is just the bonus I get along with you....and what a body it is." His hands ran up my sides making me inhale deeply. He wasn't the only one finding this excruciating.

"But if you..." He cut me off with another kiss and I was starting to think this was his favourite way of shutting me up.

"Enough of this talk of leaving me. You will NOT! Understand?" Ok, this was a clear order I was happy to comply with. I nodded, smiling at his domination over me and I kind of relished in it. Once he was happy that the idea was firmly out of my mind, he pulled me closer to him after asking me if I was comfortable. I let my head rest on his chest while he played with my hair. The feeling was making my lids heavy and I yawned making him chuckle. He made the lights die and I knew that the sound of his strong heart beat would soon have me fast asleep in the only place on earth I wanted to be. In his arms....

Forever.

Chapter 12.

A Long Wait.

When I woke, I saw the morning light filter through the curtain cracks. I moved slightly and then realised Draven and I hadn't moved all night from the position we had fell asleep in. I could tell he was still asleep because his breathing was steady and light.

I shifted slowly so I could see his face but he was looking the other way. His arm was still securely around me as if he had tried to protect me from any more nightmares. I knew I needed to get up for obvious reasons but that didn't mean I wanted to. I could have lain there all day listening to his calm breathing.

I moved slowly trying to slide down under his hold but his arm weighed a tonne. They were solid and pure muscle which rippled down, starting from his impressive shoulders. They would then meet the biggest one, his biceps. They looked bigger than my head. One blow from that bad boy and you wouldn't be getting up again, that was for sure!

I managed to scoot out without waking him and I gently put my warm feet to the cold slate floor. Once my skin was used to the shock, I got up and straightened my top that had twisted. I looked back as I heard the bed shift but thankfully he had just rolled over to his side. He was still asleep, so I tiptoed into the bathroom and after finishing my morning routine I walked further round into the room.

At the end was a ma.s.sive stone arch that was mirrored by a window letting the morning light flood the room. Through the arch was a raised bath that had steps up into it like Draven's bed did. I walked closer and the bath was the biggest I had ever seen. Even bigger than Sophia's, which I had once been lucky enough to take a dip in. The cramps started telling me to ease the pain by taking a swim in it. I looked back at the door as though I was about to do something naughty but to h.e.l.l with it. I'm sure he wouldn't mind. So I bent over to where I thought the water came out but there was nothing. No tap, no spout, no hole.... nothing.

I bent further in, leaning over the rim, realising it was made from a block of carved stone. Then I had a thought. His shower was on a motion senior so maybe this one was too. So I waved my arm about, thinking how glad I was that I doing this alone, as I felt like an idiot waving at a wall. But it worked. The stone wall to the side started to move and one block came out half way causing the water to quickly follow. It poured into the stone pool below and I looked about for anything to add to the water. I noticed that there was a stone shelf hidden and there were gla.s.s bottles filled with luscious smells. I pulled the top off one and poured it in, then bingo, the clear water started to create bubbles.

I slipped off my clothes and stepped in letting my hair down as I went. The temperature was perfect and I sighed as the water devoured my skin. I dipped my head under fully and smiled as I came up for air. I pushed the drips off my face and pushed my hair back. I stretched out and didn't once come into contact with the sides as you could have fitted ten people in here easy. I was about to close my eyes and rest my head back when I noticed the window.

I pulled myself over to the other side and an amazing view opened up before me. The window was ceiling to floor and was as wide as the bath. The green sea of the mountains and national park filled the floor and a cloudless topaz blue filled the sky. If I had the supplies I would have painted it. I lay on my front and folded my arms to rest on the side so I could gaze out at earth's perfection.

"Mmm beautiful," I said out loud before dipping my head back once more, only when I came back up, I was no longer alone.

"I must agree." Draven's voice sounded even more powerful as it echoed in the vast room. He was stood back, leaning on one of the marble pillars casually watching me and I could feel my skin burning from embarra.s.sment. It was like I had been caught with my hand in a cookie jar.

"Umm....how long have you been there?" I asked, dipping further under the water to hide my modesty. This action made a bad boy grin cross his lips.

"A while," he said knowing this would get more of a pink cheeked reaction. Of course when it did, his grin widened. He was dressed, unlike me and his long denim legs strolled over to the edge of the bath. I was still on the other side and he c.o.c.ked his head back slightly to motion for me to come to him. When I didn't move, he frowned at my lack of co-operation.

"Come here!" He ordered but again I wouldn't and I knew teasing him wasn't a good idea seeing as I couldn't really give myself to him fully. But he replaced his frown with cunning eyes and wicked lips. Then he dipped one finger in the water and I jumped when it started to go cold.

"Ok ok!" I said before giving in to him in record time. He sat on the steps next to the bath and dunked his arms in as I got nearer, pulling me the rest of the way. But not before he made the water turn back to its usual relaxing temperature.

"That was cruel!"

"I would call it more of a 'tactical decision'. And besides what can you expect when you look like this?" His mouth found my wet shoulder and he tasted the water off my skin. I closed my eyes with pleasure when his mouth moved closer to the curvature of my neck. Then his hand expertly found the inside of my leg and he moved it upwards until I let out a moan when he hit his mark. I quickly shifted before anything more happened and he groaned while my neck was still in his mouth.

"Draven, we can't, remember," I said barely legible. The feeling was burning the lower part of my body making me want him to take me so badly I couldn't breathe. His bite left my wet flesh and he looked up at me, although for a moment I thought he would do it anyway because his eyes were now Demon purple. It was frightening. He stood up and I thought he was going to leave.

"Don't go!" This made him lose his Demon side and he smiled down at me.

"I am not going anywhere."

"Then what are you doing?" My question was quickly answered as he yanked off his T-shirt displaying a perfect male torso overflowing with muscles upon muscles. He continued getting naked and started to unb.u.t.ton his jeans removing them from toned olive skin. This then made it even harder for me to control my burning urge to have him inside me.

"I am joining you of course, you're in my bath remember?" He added in a cheeky tone. I moved out of the way putting some safe distance between us. However once he was in, his hands searched for my ankles and when he found them, he pulled me into him. I slid right to his body as if we were magnets and he held me in an iron hold, so I wouldn't leave him again. I tried to worm my way out from him but it was useless.

"Don't struggle." He whispered into my wet hair.

"But we can't do this," I said in vain.

"Keira, I just want to feel, nothing more. Let me feel you, all of you." He asked before he repositioned me so my back was against his chest, once there his expert fingers found me. I let out a moan and tensed in his arms. He moved very slowly and delicately over my happy place in a circular motion. He continued to move to his own rhythm and what a rhythm it was! My mind went cloudy and my breathing got heavy with each motion he made. He was just so skilled in the art, it was almost like he could feel everything I felt and to increase the pleasure he would move it to how he also liked it.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"No... please don't" I begged as I was close to ecstasy. I buried my head to the side, into his chest and his other hand cupped my exposed, heaving breast. It felt as though my eyes were rolling back as the intensity increased and with every moan I let out I could feel his own pleasure increase behind me. His manhood was getting harder and bigger like a force of its own. So I pressed back on it as I was still in between his legs with my back against his front.

I pushed back on him again and his fingers moved faster in return. He was kissing my neck and he licked up to my ear, before turning it into biting. He took care not to bite too hard but I could tell it was difficult for him. I bent my head to one side to allow him access but when he wouldn't do it, I put my hands behind my back and found his Commander. It was actually the first time I had touched it and I now realised why it sometimes was hard to take. He was huge!

He groaned louder and I got the reaction I wanted as he bit down into my flesh making me come instantly. I screamed out and jerked, causing the water to form little waves. He held me down and pulled me closer. My hands were moving quicker and as he sucked on my neck at the holes he had made there, his release came quickly after. We both seemed to jerk against each other in sync until our wave riding became a calm bob in the water.

I looked down and saw little droplets of my blood from my neck disperse in the bath water. Then he licked the puncture marks, sealing them closed. My body relaxed into his body and he held my head to him until my breathing came back to its normal rhythm.

"Mmm, that was lovely." I said and then let out a satisfied sigh.

"Yes, I must agree and also a first." He said completely sated. I turned to look at him and when I saw him with wet hair I wanted to do it all over again. I put my hands on his face and moved them back through his hair and down to his neck before kissing him. He was surprised by this gesture, as he didn't respond until my kiss got deeper and more intense. When I stopped, I didn't pull back from him. I just held my lips over his and licked before finding his neck.

He seemed shocked by my enthusiasm but he must have found it a ma.s.sive turn on because he moaned letting out more air with his heavy breathing. Then out of nowhere his hands grabbed my wrists and he restrained me back. I thought I had done something wrong until I saw his face. He had his eyes closed while he spoke.

"I don't think you should do that again while I can't have you fully. I was close to losing control and I don't think I could have stopped. But when we can, then what you just did would please me greatly." He said all this as if it was a strain and I smiled that I could do that to him. Man oh man, why did I have to be on!!!!

"So when you said this was a first, what did you mean?" I asked once I had given him a minute.

"I meant, I have never found pleasure this way, without s.e.x that is." If his face hadn't have been so serious I would have laughed. No way!

"You mean....you never...you know?" I waved my hand around like this would help.

"Keira, use words my love" He was mocking me as he actually knew what I meant but he just wanted to see me go red again...I was sure of it.

"What I mean is, you never found release without intercourse?" As soon as it was out Draven cracked up laughing to a point where he couldn't find words. I folded my arms across my chest and moved to the other side. He tried to control it but he did a lousy job.

"Keira come back here, I am sorry.." He didn't look very sorry! So I shrugged and dipped my head back to get my hair wet ready for washing.

"I find it very s.e.xy when you do that" He was trying to b.u.t.ter me up but I wasn't taking him on. I reached for the shampoo but he got there first. When I tried to retrieve it, he simply held it higher above my head.

"Give it!" I ordered but he smiled down at me, making me melt.

"Have you forgiven me?" He said making it impossible to stay mad at him.

"I don't know, say it again." I was now teasing him but he obeyed by lowering the bottle and mouthing the words "I'm sorry" over my lips.

We stayed in the bath for what seemed like ages as we started to play around splashing each other like kids and then he refused to let me wash my own hair. The problem with this of course is the feeling it created below. His large hands circling my head and neck was just heavenly and I tried very hard not to think of the bulge behind me, that just never seemed to go down. Then, of course, it took me even longer to get out of the bath because he kept pulling me back in.

Finally when I got out, he was there before me holding a big black fluffy towel to wrap me in. He rubbed me down before using the same towel on himself. I think he liked the smell of me and that's why he did this because he seemed to smell his own skin after it. However, I was too embarra.s.sed to ask.

He handed me a black soft robe that felt softer than anything I had ever felt before. I had no idea what material it was but I just hoped it wasn't an animal. He allowed me time alone to change some things after yet another trip to his expensive toilet and when I went back into the bedroom there was food waiting for us, which made my stomach very happy.

We spent the morning together on the same couch, kissing, laughing, touching each other everywhere but keeping from doing the naughty. He watched me eat all wide eyed and cat like. I never understood why he found this so fascinating. It made me feel a bit like a huge science project. He would bombard me with questions ranging on anything from my childhood, to my favourite artists. Then it got more serious.

"And past boyfriends?" I gulped my tea. He had never wanted to know about this before.

"Why do you ask?" I was hoping he would reconsider.... Of course I'd be wrong.

"I am curious."

"About what, who I dated?" He just nodded and then added "Among other things." I loved the way he spoke, so fluid and precise but sometimes it would be like cracking the De Vinci code. I cleared my throat to indicate I was ready for the fire line of questions but the naughty grin on his face already told me what he was going to ask.

"How old were you when you lost your virginity?" It was so matter of fact that I laughed, making him frown. Well it was his turn to be laughed at! If it had been me I would have asked in a round about way, saying "you know...the thing" or words like "popped cherry" but there was none of that and Draven never minced his words. He was always straight to the point and s.e.x was clearly no exception.

"I was seventeen," I said waiting for his reaction. He raised his eyebrows and it was clear he had not expected as much.

"What! Did you think I would have only lost it when I was twenty one?" I had to laugh.

"No, don't forget Keira I have lived a long time and throughout history human girls have been a lot younger than that, when they were taken."

"Taken?"

"Given." He corrected himself and then shrugged his shoulders, a gesture you hardly saw from Draven.

"Poor girls!" My heart went out to them, young and frightened.

"It was expected Keira, they knew nothing of choice, not like today." He looked uncomfortable knowing this part of my past but he continued to ask.

"Who was the boy?" This was Draven's way of degrading my former love partner.

"His name was Johnny Carlson and he was my first boyfriend."

"Did he... force himself upon you?" He had his hands balled into fists that he was trying to keep out of sight.

"NO, of course not, if anything it was my idea." Now this shocked him!

"Why?"

"And why not? Teenage girls get strong s.e.xual urges just as boys do. Plus it was kind of fuelled by alcohol." This made him relax slightly.

"Can I ask, why are you asking these questions if you don't want to hear the answers?" I asked getting up from the couch to stand over him.

"Because I want to know everything, even if I can't change the past." He looked stern at the thought of not having that power.

"And what would you have changed exactly?" I smiled at the thought of meeting Draven years ago, being so young and terrified, to the point it excited me.

"I would have been your first." Mmm... well I could have seen that going better than my first time.

"And don't you think that would have been a bit weird considering the age difference." This made him roll his eyes at me.