© ItalRT4u, 2012

     My senses were in overdrive and all I cared about was quenching my every desire with all things Cane at the moment.  His hands were like silk, gliding over my bare skin, causing wonderful electrical currents to be exchanged between us as he hovered over me, lying down on the sofa.  My hands had found themselves, under his shirt, massaging the rippling of muscles that hid there while he kissed my neck, eliciting tingles that floated down to my toes.  With a delicate nip to the sweet spot below my ear, he made those tingling toes of mine curl, causing a lustful moan to escape my lips.  He pulled away so as to see the look of urgency in my eyes as I noticed the brightness glaze over and change over into slightly darker pools, flecks of gold swimming about until he brought his face back down to me exacting I meet him, kiss for kiss, touch for touch, our passions intertwining with one another.  His hand streamed down and gently massaged a breast before moving down to my thigh which at this point, I had realized was completely bare seeing as my dress had risen up with the way my legs were hugging the sides of his hips.

     “How do you do what you do to me?”  He whispered on my lips in between kisses and I couldn't help the sexy giggle that rumbled out of my throat.

     “What do you mean?”  I nipped at his collarbone, giving him time to breathe and respond.

     “I normally don't do this so quickly.”  He explained.

     “I have that effect it seems.”  I tell him as I trailed my kisses up to his jaw, pausing to lick his bottom lip, releasing a guttural rumbling from his throat.  “We can stop, if you want.  But if it makes you feel any better,” I paused to look at him, “I don't do this either.”  And I closed the gap between us again until Cane pulled away and I knew that look.  He was conflicted; torn, as I was – between our physical urges, what felt right but also by our regular personal beliefs.

     “Thing is, I don't want to stop.”  He said so sure of his urges that he continued his invasion on my body.  “I don't think I could even if I wanted to.”  He added against the skin above my breasts.

     “Mmm...”  Was all I could manage as his hand reached to the heat between my legs, causing my body to tremble and arch into his, needing more from him.

     If I thought that the release I had felt at Gage's hand was heavenly, it was nothing compared to what I had witnessed being at the mercy of Cane and his sinfully cunning craft.  The thought of how he had me writhing in multiple waves of pleasure sent waves of heat throughout my body as I lay here draped over half of his body, molded into him, as he trailed circles on the side of my shoulder with his fingertips.  Daylight was beginning to penetrate the living-room, basking us in the rays of the early morning sun.

     “Are you awake?”  He whispered down, fanning his sweet breath on my face.

     “Mmm.”  I mumble, not caring to move from my nest within his chest.  I knew I had to get up some time; reality dictated my very existence and as much as I wanted this moment to last, predetermined obligations beckoned me.  Taking a deep breath, I positioned myself to get up but found Cane tightening his grip on me, holding me even closer to him.

     “Where do you think you're going?”  He asked me.

     “Home?”  I said this with a questioning tone, as if I was now asking him for permission.  He thought it amusing, judging by the low chuckle he let out.

     “Not without me, you're not.”  He told me with a bemused smirk.

     “Hero complex?”  I laughed slightly as he nodded.  “Just as well; I wouldn't mind the company.”

     “Is that all I am?”  He teased me.  “I thought I'd serve as a distraction.”  He tilted my chin so he could give me a soft kiss.  One that momentarily made me forget my train of thought.  “Don't think I can't sense the effects I have on you, Payton.”  I smiled at him sweetly as I let the proverbial fog dissipate from my head.

     “What effects?”  I innocently laughed feigning that his effects weren't that grand but leaving it obvious still that he did indeed hold some power over me.

     “I'll remind you when the time is right.”  He smirks before kissing the tip of my nose.

     An hour later, we were in Cane's car, driving to my house.  I looked out the passenger side window, pondering what state my house would look like when I got there.

     “Everything will be okay.”  He said as he put a hand on my bare thigh, rubbing his thumb in a circular pattern; that managed to shoo my dark thoughts away.

     “I hope so.”  I said softly, almost at a whisper.

     My entire main entrance was in shambles.  There were a few holes in the walls and some small pieces of furniture were overturned; some broken beyond repair and others salvageable.  Cane had let me go upstairs to change and opting for a shower beforehand, I went about my daily routine as if no one was here, knowing he wouldn't mind.

     Letting go of the aches, pains, and the negativity from the previous night, I let the scolding hot water rain down over my body.  I hadn't noticed the sexy male that had watched me lather myself clean until I reached for my towel only to find it absent.

     “Looking for this?”  Cane asks.  Letting the steam clear enough for me to make out the smug look on his face, he handed me the towel.  Flustered, I grab it and quickly wrap it around me, making sure that I had tucked it in tightly, at my bust.  Feeling secure, I turned to find Cane standing right there, a hungry look in his eye.

     “Distraction?”  I smirked at him.

     “I'd say I'm sorry for catching you off guard but that wouldn't be honest of me.”  He said as he pulled me out of the shower stall so I stood, pressed against his chest.

     “And here I thought I was the seductress.”  I sighed when his lips found my collarbone.

     “That you are.”  He whispered against my hot skin, feeling whatever small amount of resolve was in me, dissipate.  Letting my arms wrap around his neck, he slowly walked me backwards until I felt the edge of my bed hit me behind the knees.  Was I finally going to find out the magic the rest of his body was capable of making me feel?  His mouth had been nothing more than too obliging last night.

     The doorbell ringing was the furthest thing I anticipated hearing at this point in time.  Refusing to put a stop to this moment of bliss we were sharing, I kissed him harder, demanding more from him.  I pulled up on his shirt as he let me slide it over his head, my towel beginning to loosen.

     Ding.  Dong. 

     Ignoring the door again, I let Cane straighten up and slip out of his pants before taking me into his strong arms and lowering us to my bed slowly.  My towel falling away from my front and leaving me completely bare was the furthest thing from my mind when my hands wandered south of his border and found what I so desperately desired.

     I could have sworn the house shook at the peak of our explosive climax.  Cane rolled over to the mattress, as our bodies glistened with sweat, our breathing labored.  It was at this point that I had realized that my marking was now burning.  Not a painful heated burn, but one that felt almost freezing cold.  Giving it a quick glance, I had realized that it was almost glowing.

     What the hell does that mean?  

     Terrified of being found out, I immediately jumped, sitting upright and reached for my towel to cover up.  Cane grabbed my arm pulling me back down beside him.

     “What's going on?”  He asked me; studying my face for some answer I was terrified of giving.

     “Just got cold, it's all.”  I told him, smiling sheepishly, hoping he wasn't about to call me on my bluff.

     “Come here.”  He pulled me closer onto him, wrapping his arms around me, as he rubbed my back.  A sigh escaped my lips as I felt myself relax and contentment filling me to the brim.

     It wasn't hard to convince me to pack a bag to spend the night at Cane's.  I had told him I would, as long as we stopped by Carly's, first.  Joe had given me the night off after he heard what had happened last night.  I couldn't have been more thrilled at the idea of losing money for once.

     I entered Carly's with the help of the key she had given me.  I was happy that she had stuck to her guns and kept all windows and doors locked.

     “Carly?”  I called out for her.  My aunt peeked around the corner to the entrance of her kitchen.  She rushed over to give me a quick hug and then I felt her go rigid in my arms.

     “Cane?”  She says as she lets go of me.  I turned to look at him and then back to Carly.

     “You two know each other?”  I asked confused.

     “Uh...”  Cane hesitated.  Long enough for me to start thinking a multitude of things and not all too positive I'll assure you.

     “Payton!”  Carly said loudly as she noticed the look of horror strewn across my face.  My head snapped up to her.  She started to laugh.  “Relax Hunny.  It's not like that.”  Relief swept over me.  Could you blame me for thinking the worst?  Carly's only a few years older than I am and like a typical succubus, she was hot.  “You should sit down.”  She tells me.

     “I'm not sitting down until you tell me what's going on.”  I tell her, turning to look at Cane.  “Both of you!”

     Nearly an hour later, I was trying to digest everything Carly had just divulged.  It was all beginning to make sense to me now; well, some of it.  From the day of my twenty-first birthday to this very minute, the puzzle pieces were starting to be placed.  Carly knew a hell of a lot more than she had been letting on.  Don't get me wrong, I'm still pissed.  I felt betrayed by Carly but part of me understood why I wasn't privy to this information and it all boiled down to my safety.

     “What's your story?”  I turned to ask Cane, my arms crossed at my chest.

     “You have to know that I thoroughly had no intention of falling for you.”  He began.  My heart sunk.

     He's falling?

     “How could you have fallen for me?  We don't even know each other.”  I blurted out with a frustrated huff despite the fact that I knew what he meant all along.  “And...”

     “Payton!”  Carly interrupted and my head snapped back to her, my face red with frustration more than anger.  “Listen to what he has to say.  Please.”  She finished softly.

     “Fine.”  And I nodded my head toward Cane, indicating him to keep talking.

     “I didn't think I would fall but your pull on me is too much.  I'm supposed to be able to resist that.”  He explained.

     Resist?

      “I was supposed to keep an eye on you, make sure you were kept safe.  Help you out.  Then get lost.” 

     Resist?

     My thoughts were stuck on that statement and the thought from the other day about me wondering why it was he wasn't succumbing to my kisses of death like all the others as of late.

     “So you would in essence, use, abuse, and then ditch?”  I said hotly.

     “No!  It's not like that at all Payton and you know that!  I didn’t lie when I told you that I don’t do that ever.”  He tells me and sucks in a deep breath, rubbing the back of his neck.  “Assistance, that's all I was to provide; but you got to me.”  I sat there in silence, not sure what to say next; heck, I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be thinking.  All I knew was what he meant by me getting to him.  He had gotten to me too and no matter what my views on physical intimacy were, they were thrown out the window when it came to him.  The pull between us was too great to ignore.

     “What Cane's saying is that he didn't ask for what happened between you two.  Our families have known of one another for as long as the lines have existed, Payton.  I don't think any of the elders had foreseen the possibility that down the line, the Nottingham's and Devonshire's were to unite and become as one physically.”  Carly looked at me, helping me make sense of it all.

     “So you're...”  My voice trailed softly as my gaze found Cane's eyes.

     “I'm Fae, Payton.”  He whispered as though it was a secret between the three of us.  “Didn't you wonder why your kisses barely weakened me?”

     “I honestly thought it was my mind playing tricks on me.”  I shrugged.

     “They would weaken anyone out there but me.”  He explained.  “Like you, I'm a hybrid.”  My mouth formed into an “o” shape in comprehension.

     “Where's your tat?”  The words leaving my mouth before I realized what I had asked; for reasons unknown other than skepticism at his revelation.  He pealed his t-shirt up, over his head, turned his back to me and I found myself blushing.  There, in its glory, was the ancient Japanese inscription.  My feet began to walk up to him of their own accord, my fingers trailing the lightly raised piece of flesh that felt cool to the touch, as mine did earlier.  I heard his breath catch as my fingers had made contact with his skin.

     “What are you?”  I asked him.  “Or do I even want to know?”

     “You should know.  Part of it, I think you've already figured it out by now based on our attraction.  Firstly, I possess the power to change people's minds; secondly, I'm from a long line of defenders, sworn to protect the heir of the ancient families, ensuring descendants; and third...”

     “I thought you said you were a hybrid?”  I backed up a few steps.

     “I am.  You Payton, have given me a third.  I'm an incubus.  That is something entirely new and was revealed to me the day I had first touched you.”

     “You've known of what I was since the day I collapsed?”  I asked him.  He shook his head and my look of bewilderment made him chuckle.

     “I've known of you my entire life.  I just didn't know about being matched with you specifically until that day you’re speaking of.”  He explained.

     “So how do I know you haven't used your power of persuasion on me then?”  I asked him, skeptical of the feelings that have overwhelmed me when he and I had been alone together.

     “I know it isn't much but all you have is my word on that one.”  He looked at me and for some reason, I knew he wasn't lying.  “I can only alter someone's way of thinking or decisions when their minds aren't one hundred percent made up.”  I turned my back to the both of them.  My feet took me toward the front of the house.  I was no longer in full control of my body, my legs moving of their own accord.

     “I need to go.”  I tell them and kept walking.  “Carly, we're not done here.”  I say over my shoulder.  I heard footsteps behind me and knew it was Cane who was trying to follow me.

     “Leave her.”  I heard Carly whisper and he did.  I heard Cane's car doors unlock as I sat on the steps to the front porch.  I couldn't stop analyzing all the information I had obtained in such a short amount of time.

     I'm matched? 

     Why was it that my parents had neglected to tell me about us having a destined other half?

     Were we in that much danger that it simply wasn't seen as often as it used to be?  What does all of this mean?

     All these questions were churning in my head and I didn't know how to make sense out of any of it at this point.  I got up, walked to Cane's car and got into the passenger side.  Minutes later, he had joined me, turned the key in the ignition and drove off.  I broke the silence first.

     “So how come I haven't heard of you guys until now?  I mean, I thought familial friendships usually meant meeting up with one another every once in a while.”  I told him.

     “Ours isn't one of the most conventional types of friendships.  When threats weren't as popular, our families did get together; that is, until everything went to shit with attacks and my family and I were forced to move in order to maintain anonymity.  My grandmother was the only one that remained here.”  He explained and looked over at me.

     “What are you doing back then?”  I eyed his face as his eyes stayed trained on the road.

     “For the same reason I told you before.  To help my grandmother out and eventually take over her job as a watcher.”  He said.

     “Well, I'd have to say your training is done.  Since we've met, you've officially saved my ass more times than I care to count.”  I was glad to hear a chuckle.

     “A fine ass at that.”  He winked at me with his traditional suggestive smirk and I couldn't help the heated blush that crept over my entire body, reliving this morning’s moments in my mind.

                                          *************************************

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