Pleasing No One

  Closing her laptop Harper groaned and fell backwards onto the couch, her fingers gentling rubbing her eyes to lessen the dull ache. Five days of bed rest might have been good for healing but it was a killer to her business. She was behind on work, she had to reschedule all the appointments Elena canceled. She worked nearly all night last night, took a four hour nap and continued to complete the many collages she had to finish, organize different books for wannabe models to go to interviews with and a few pregnancy photos. She was swamped and had accepted that she had many long nights ahead of her if she wanted to meet her deadlines and get paid.

   Her rent was due next week and she was cutting it close. Bills to pay, food to buy -scratch that she might have to go hungry for a while if she wanted to get the rent paid.

  Sitting up Harper put her laptop on the coffee table and sighed wishing this supernatural mess she was in would pay for the time it took out of her life then maybe she could get some sleep. Scoffing at the thought she noticed the corner of a book poking out from under the table.

  Leaning over Harper caught the corner of the book in between her index and middle finger. The velvet covered book slid out into her hand and Harper placed it on her lap, staring at the book she took from the Hunters library a few weeks ago. Running her fingers over the title Harper swallowed hard wondering if it was a good idea to read the book. She liked where Kiev and she were headed, the gentler Kiev who was honest with her was one she enjoyed and she didn't want any progress they made to be ruined by whatever she discovered about him.

You don't really know him, a voice reminded her. Kiev knew more about her than she did about herself. Trapping her bottom lip between her teeth Harper hesitated before slowly opening the hard cover over and came face to face with Kiev's father. Pushing the old fears aside Harper turned the pages, she ignored the pages of information that followed the late King's picture and turned to the page to the current King, Cade. By the way Kiev spoke earlier it seemed that he loved Cade.

Skimming through several pages Harper frowned at what was written. Cade was half sex-demon and half fire shaper, one of the first ten children born from Dimitri and one of the least qualified to be acting King of Demons. In fact, based on the information from the book Cade was a solider of the Council, with no education or training in the political ways as was deemed necessary from all future leaders, his mother wasn't a direct descendant from the five families which Harper guessed wouldn't sit well with his people. Cade was a solider, meant to protect the leaders of the Demons from harm, he was a guard in other words not a man fit to rule a kingdom. Harper's eyes skipped the part where Cade married his soulmate two weeks after taking the throne, deeming the information as unnecessary and instead continued on. Assigned to rule over the Demonic Kingdom and all it's people by the heir and only child of Dimitri and Catherine, Kiev.

"Why would he do that?" She mumbled under her breath.

Turning the page to Kiev's fuzzy photo she took a moment to look him over wondering why he would hand over the kingdom to his brother Cade, why not one of his other siblings? Why hand the kingdom over at all?

   Drawing her knees up towards her chest Harper started to read, concentrating on every word she read in the hopes of unraveling the mystery that was Kiev but as she turned the first page over to continue she found another picture staring back at her.

"That's it?!" She exclaimed and whipped the single page back and forth as if another page would magically appear.

  The single page only described Kiev's lineage, that he had hundreds of thousands of feeding clubs for supernatural creatures scattered around the globe and that he was involved in many dealings with other leaders, all dealings apparently unknown by the Hunters. They had nothing on him. She had nothing to go on. The realization caused a growl of frustration to tear from her chest.

  Slamming the book closed Harper tossed her head backwards, it seemed she wasn't the only person who knew almost nothing about Kiev, the Hunters were just as clueless.

  She wasn't sure what she wanted to discover about Kiev but something was better than nothing. She wanted some kind of inkling on just who she fell in love with, was that too much to ask?

   Straightening her head Harper grabbed her phone from beside the laptop and found no messages and no response from Olivia. Please be okay, she silently prayed. Knowing her sister was addicted to shade was worse than not being sure what her dealings with Kiev were. Then she wondered what mess Olivia was involved in but now she was wondering if she had overdosed and was passed out somewhere, lonely and afraid.

  Harper thought of talking to Liam about Olivia's problem as soon as she could, maybe he could help her get over the addiction and perhaps even settle whatever fears she had. Olivia didn't need to fit in, she could come live with her if she didn't like living with the Hunters anymore. They'd get through this, together.

   Sliding her phone open Harper glanced down at the book on her lap, thinking about how dangerous Kiev seemed through the book from the barely eligible picture of him to the vague description of his life. To everyone Kiev would seem dangerous, hell she believed that not too long ago and sometimes she still believed he was dangerous but there were moments when he wasn't threatening.

  Opening her photos, Harper scrolled through the many photos and found the one she took of Kiev the morning after he slept over. A goofy smile spread across her face as she thought of showing the Hunters this picture of Kiev. The big, bad demon hugging a pillow to his face, a serene expression on his face, half naked. How would the world react seeing Kiev so vulnerable and relaxed after a night of great sëx? Or knowing he had been on his knees at her feet begging for forgiveness? Tears streaming down his face, the desperation filling his soft green eyes. This Kiev on her phone was unrecognizable from the Kiev in the book or the the one the world knew.

Zooming into the photo Harper smiled, this was the Kiev she loved even if he was an occasional idiot.

"What are you looking at?"

Startled by Kiev's voice Harper pressed the phone to her chest. "You scared me." She huffed out.

Standing behind the couch Kiev eyed the phone pressed tightly against her chest. Harper thought of hiding the photo and had a thumb on the home button but reluctantly tilted it back and allowed him to see the photo. Pressing her lips together Harper kept her gaze trained on her knees, avoiding his reaction.

"I was browsing through my photos and found this one." She mumbled, regretting showing him the photo.

   Kiev didn't respond instead he walked behind the couch and over to where she sat with her knees drawn up and sat. Pulling her knees further towards her chest to avoid getting her toes squished. Wrapping his fingers around her ankles he stretched her legs out so her feet rested on his thigh. Kiev splayed his fingers over her feet.

"Why were you looking at that?" He asked.

   Looking up through a row of dark lashes Harper frowned at the ink black swirls littering the side of his neck. Leaning forward she ran the tips of her fingers across the swirls, following the curled lines back to a small puncture wound just below his jawline. In the same area the burning from yesterday. Swallowing hard Harper ignored the sudden need to touch her own neck at the phantom searing pain that had her on her knees yesterday and in tears.

"What happened?" She asked, her words laced with concern.

   The corners of his lips twitched upwards. "Just an argument with an old rival."

Sending him a dubious look Harper ran the tip of her index finger around the puncture wound. His jaw clenched but he didn't make a sound.

"When?" She asked tentatively. If she was being honest with herself she was a bit fearful of hearing his response.

  He flashed her a devilish grin as his splayed fingers rubbed small circles on her soft arch. "This morning. I'll be fine after a quick feed."

   Nodding, Harper felt the familiar prickles of jealousy. Shutting off her phone she placed it down on the table.

"So I guess you haven't had time to ummm....feed."

"I'm good."

  Puzzled, she lowered her gaze to the dark, angry looking swirls trailing along the column of his neck. He didn't look fine. In fact he looked worst than when she saw him last. The soft gray hue on his skin had grown deeper, darker and gave him a sickly image. Dark circles rounded his tired looking eyes, long wrinkles marred his forehead, light crinkles outlined his mouth and eyes and his hair had wispy silver hairs streaking the dark hair.

"When was the last time you fed?" Harper asked.

  He shrugged his shoulders and averted his gaze to the book nestled safely in her lap. "What's that?"

  Pressing the spine of the book closer to her Harper noted the way he avoided her question causing her to wonder how long it's been since Kiev has fed or if whatever poisoned weapon he was stabbed with had caused the rapid aging.

   Leaning forward Kiev reached out to grab the book from her lap and the sight of his trembling, frail hands caused a gasp to tear from her lips. Gone were those long strong, bronze fingers that could bring her to the brink of euphoria and in their place were bone thing fingers, covered in wrinkles and a couple of brown spots. Forgetting the book Harper snatched both his hands in hers, her eyes gliding along there bony outline before she turned her attention back to Kiev.

"What happened to you? Is that poison?"

  He shook his head and attempted to pull away but she tightened her grip around his hands. "I'm fine. I'll feed later when I get the chance."

"Maybe you should go feed now." Swallowing past the lump in her throats Harper tightened her fingers over his hands, forcing herself to speak the words although she didn't truly mean them. "I won't be mad if you feed from someone else."

   The words tasted bitter in her mouth. Of course she didn't really feel that way but what could she say? I don't want you to fück another girl Kiev but I can't just jump into bed with you either. It wasn't fair to Kiev and although he didn't deserve any sort of acts of kindness after nearly killing her he didn't deserve to die either. They had to reestablish the trust between them before she could get intimate with him again.

  He chuckled, a dark chuckle that sound more menacing than amused. "You don't mean that."

"I do." She lied. "Go now."

"You can't lie to me, Harper. I can feel you're-" Kiev pressed his lips together and closed his eyes.

"My what?" She asked her brows pulling together. "What can you feel and how?"

  Snatching his hands away Kiev dropped his hands by her feet, his thumb rubbing small circles over the soft spot between her toes. Sighing he opened his eyes but kept them trained on her toes.

"Can we please not talk about it? I came by to spend time with you not to argue."

"We don't have to argue if you just answer me."

"It's not that easy Harper."

"Why? Because I might link whatever you say now to your big plan." She scoffed.

"The more you know the more danger you're in." He responded with a shake of his head.

"I'm a huntress sleeping with a demon prince! I'm already in danger!"

  Kiev remained quiet, his hooded gaze remaining on her toes as his fingers slid down to the bottom and drew small circles on the soft skin of her arch. When the seconds ticked by and Kiev didn't utter another word Harper crossed her arms over her chest, huffed out loud and dropped back into the soft cushions behind her.

  Pursing her lips she watched him wondering why he couldn't answer her question. What could be so life threatening that he couldn't tell her? She was already knee deep in danger how much worse could it get for her? Scoffing at the thought she glared at his bent head, honestly the only thing worst than sleeping with a demon was having a relationship with him and she already crossed that line. Hell she couldn't even see the damn line anymore.

  Sighing she unfolded her arms. Did Kiev think he could save her from that fate? From having any real feelings because that ship has long sailed. And what did he mean by he could feel her, what did he feel? Her emotions? Her pain? Or his. The thought made her freeze as she stared at the black swirls littering his eerie gray skin. It couldn't be, she thought but even as she thought it impossible Harper lifted her right hand up to her neck. With a feather light touch she skimmed the tips of her fingers across the identical area where Kiev had the strange markings, recalling the painful moments from yesterday. On the floor, wheezing for air as the liquid molten burned her alive. She screamed, cried and even clawed at her neck but nothing could stop the burning. After seven long, agonizing minutes the pain subsided but there was a warmth mess that replaced it, a dull buzzing that over the next few hours lessened.

    Was that pain connected to Kiev? Did he  feel that way when he was attacked? The excruciating burning that spread like wildfire? Was it possible that they were somehow able to feel each other's pain? That's not possible. And yet Kiev felt her pain yesterday, after she walked in on him and Elena. While he reassured her it would pass he was rubbing at his chest, in the same area she felt the pain. How? When?

   Even as she asked herself the questions she knew it hadn't always been like this. She felt these sudden pain attacks after she woke up six days ago. The pain attacks began when the rose scar appeared, they had to be connected somehow. Did Kiev accidentally connect them when he attacked her or maybe afterwards? But why?

   Tilting her chin upwards Harper watched the man in question, taking in his exhausted appearance. His tattered and worn out expression pulled at her heart strings. If that was his pain she was feeling secondhand yesterday then she could only imagine how much he had suffered after being dealt the attack. Swallowing past the lump in her throats Harper felt the tears pricking her vision for him. He needed to feed but he was here. Kiev didn't reveal much but his actions did.

  Lowering her gaze to where his fingers kneaded the soles of her feet Harper couldn't help but smile. Yes, his actions spoke volumes and for now that was enough. They could take this slow.

"I was thinking the photo I have of you would be a better replacement for the photo the Hunters have of you." She said, answering his question from earlier.

  Lifting his head he raised one brow. "Don't you think it'll raise some suspicion when you show a picture of me naked and on your bed?"

  Smiling in response, Harper swiped at the bottom of her lower lashes in an attempt to rid any moisture that had began forming.

"It would but wouldn't you like to see their faces when they see you like that, so serene and content?"

  One corner of his mouth quirked upwards into a half smirk. "They could caption it well fed."

  The laughter that left her lips felt amazing, the soft sound causing an invisible heaviness to lift from her heart. She hadn't realized she was feeling this dark, heaviness but as it lifted she felt free from this creeping cloud of doom that was seeping into her soul, draining any hope away. This laughter, Kiev's part smirk, part frown chased the darkness away.

"Why did you keep the photo?"

  Kiev's unexpected question brought her soft laughter to a halt. Meeting his serious gaze she felt the importance of her answer. She didn't know how, maybe it was the connection they shared through the scar on her chest or maybe it was the twinge of desperation swimming in his soft green eyes. Either way she knew her response would matter so she opted for the truth.

"I like seeing you like that." Biting her bottom lip for a moment Harper forced herself to hold his curious and searching gaze despite the need to look away. "To everyone you're this big, bad guy and that's what I saw you as before that moment. The morning when I saw you looking like that all I could see was you, beyond the magic, royal labels and even past the bad blood between us. I saw you, the real you and I liked that part of you."

  The fingers rubbing the bottom of her feet halted in place. Kiev shut his eyes for a moment, a pained expression crossing his features as his Adam's apple bobbled. Nervously Harper weaved her fingers together, was that too much? Maybe she shouldn't have been so honest, Kiev looked taken back by her admission.

   You can't take it back, just own it.

"You asked me and I answered." She offered the excuse with a shrug. "Sorry if it made you uncomfortable but it's the truth."

"It's not that, it's just..." Gritting his teeth Kiev shook his head and pulled his hands back onto his lap, a look of defeat etched into his face.

   The same heaviness from before settled over her heart like a blanket of snow, chilling her down to the bone and Harper could feel a sudden doom settle over her soul. The cold sense of hopelessness felt detached from her own thoughts and feelings but the emotion felt so intense she could have sworn it was her own emotion. It's Kiev's. Harper came to the realization rather quickly but it didn't dampen the sudden sadness that filled her, his sadness.

  Scrambling onto her knees Harper pushed the Hunters' book onto the ground, ignoring the small thud it made as it crashed onto the carpeted ground. Crawling forward, Harper cupped the side of Kiev's face, ignored the way his eyes snapped open in shock and with the intention to cure his pain she slanted her mouth over his.

  Parting her lips against his still ones Harper released a shuddered breath, sensing a lingering fear with their sudden closeness but pushed the fear aside and instead coaxed his full lips apart and slipped her tongue into his mouth. Kiev stiffened as she touched his tongue tentatively with her own in a silent invitation to join her.

  A slightly trembling hand settled on the small of her back, the other resting against the nape of her neck. Squeezing her eyes against the images of Kiev's hands wrapping around her throat Harper took control of the kiss, her movements growing bolder as the memory of the last time Kiev held her this close.

"It won't happen again." Kiev whispered against her lips, only fueling her theory that they were somehow linked.

Resting her forehead against his she pulled away from him, their lips merely centimeters apart. Squeezing her eyes shut against the flash of memories Harper released a shuttered breath. She wanted to trust him. God she wanted so badly to trust him but this underlying fear kept creeping up on her. Reminding her of what could happen if Kiev had a change of heart.

"You're confusing the hell out of me." She sighed, her lips brushing his as she spoke.

Pecking his lips she felt his hands fall back to his side. Puzzled she opened her eyes and found a pair of shimmering green orbs staring back at her.

"Call on the shadows to hold me down."

Her brows pulled together. "What?"

"My shadows. They'll listen to you."

  Pulling her head back she snorted. "And why would they listen to me?"

  Lifting his hand, Kiev ran the top of his fingers along her jaw. The feathery touch caused her to shiver as a warm sensation racked through her body. "Go on, call them."

  With a dramatic roll of her eyes Harper lifted her hands up in the air and in a tone dripping with sarcasm commanded the shadows to come forward. A flood of darkness whooshed into her apartment, slipping in through the crack beneath the doors, through the sides of the windows and surrounded the couch they were sitting on. The thin tentacles of the shadows hissed and rattled softly as they lifted off the ground.

  Pursing her lips Harper set him with a glare. "That was you're doing, not mine."

"Fine. Give them another command."

"Okay." She nodded and turned towards the shadows. "Go away."

  With an angry hiss the shadows retreated backwards, their dark tentacles still in midair as they left her apartment. With a mocking expression Harper turned back towards Kiev. "Impressive."

  Shaking his head Kiev slid his hand over her jaw and cupped the side of her face but his gaze was fixed on her neck. He leaned forward as a sigh passed his lips and before Harper could ask what he was doing she felt those warm lips were against the sensitive skin on her neck.

"Kiev." She gasped as her hands fisted at her sides.

  Nuzzling his nose against her neck Kiev released an uneven breath, the warmth causing goose pimples to erupt across her body. He inhaled deeply and leaned forward to press a soft kiss against her rapid pulse.

"I know I don't have a right to ask but can I have this." He asked, his voice husky with desire. "Just a few minutes and I'll let go."

  The desperation in his tone caused her to blink back tears, her throat burning with the sob that tried to claw its way up. The heaviness from earlier crushed her chest with the weight of need, the need to be closer to him, to smell his musky sent, run her fingers across his smooth skin. To savor their stolen moments together.

  Uncurling her fingers from the fist they were in Harper lifted her shaky fingers up and pressed them against his chest and gave a small push.

"Please, just a bit longer." He choked out.

   Ignoring his plea she scooted closer to him and ever so slowly lowered her head towards the side of his neck, where the angry black lines were itched into his skin. The excruciating pain from yesterday shook through her bones, the searing of her flesh still fresh in her mind. Although Kiev claimed this injury was from today she didn't believe him. If she was right about sharing some sort of connection with Kiev than that pain from yesterday was what Kiev felt as well. That molten lava oozing through her veins, burning away all coherent thoughts and leaving nothing but sensation of being burned from the inside out. That an unfathomable burning agony of mind and body was what Kiev felt, she knew it. She didn't know how but looking into his tired eyes, seeing his haggard appearance told her what he couldn't.

  Kissing the longest ink black vein Harper felt her body trembling with the sob she attempted to keep locked away. Her eyes glazed over with tears as she thought of Kiev walking about with that poison swimming through his body, flooding his system with a toxic foreign agent that could kill him. Pressing a row of wet kisses along the length of his neck she paused by the wound itself.

"You need to feed."

   He didn't respond, his chest rising and falling heavily with every breath he took. Ignoring the aching in her chest Harper peppered kisses up to his jaw.

"You need to go back to your club and-"

"No."

Shaking her head Harper felt like an invisible hand had wrapped around her heart, fingers digging into her heart and giving a painful squeeze.

"Be reasonable Kiev." She sighed. "I'm not ready to sleep with you again."

"I didn't ask you to." He practically growled and made a move to push her away.

   Wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulders Harper kissed along his jaw, pausing when she reached his chin.

"You need healing." She said in a breathless whisper even as she kissed the small indent of his chin.

"That's enough." He replied gruffly.

"I swear I won't get mad."

"I said no, Harper."

  Peppering kisses up to his parted mouth Harper felt her throat closing up with the on coming tears as she realized he wasn't budging on this. Did he want her to give himself to him? Was that the plan? Get injured and swing by her apartment for a refuel? Did he want her to crack under his soft pleading gaze? Or perhaps it was the sadness that lurked in his gaze? Or was it the desperate way he clung to her, almost like she was his only life line.

Did he know how she felt? Could he see the love she was struggling to conceal? Was this another game?

  Pressing her lips to his she felt the sobs racking her body as a seed of doubt swelled with in her.

"I can't Kiev, I can't heal you." She admitted with a heart wrenching sob.  She wished she could just push every thought against it aside and just give him what he needed. Even if he was forcing her hand she'd still do it and get mad later but she couldn't.

"I'm alright." Kiev sighed and wrapped his arms around her as he pulled her onto his lap.

  She knew it was a lie meant to comfort her. A protective lie. Pressing her cheek against his chest and tightening her hold around his neck as a silence fell over the room. Harper closed her eyes for a moment and listened to the quiet thump of his heartbeat, noting how faint it sounded from the last time she had laid beside him only a week ago. Each weak thump felt like a knife to her heart, a reminder of Kiev's reclining health.

"How long will it take to heal without feeding?" She asked as she pressed her face closer to his chest, her eyes fluttering open.

"A few days and the poison should be flushed out completely."

Harper took note on how he spoke about the poison but not his appearance. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from asking how long or if the rest of him would heal as well. Instead she rubbed her foot against his leg, the soft fabric of his slacks dull in comparison to the skin that lay beneath it. Sliding one hand up to her arm he stroked the bare skin as his other hand skittered slowly from her waist to her hip. His fingers splayed out over her hip bone, the long fingers slipping beneath her tank top to stroke her bare skin put a slight quirk in her mouth.

"How's it going back to work?"

"I'm swamped with work and barely making deadlines but if I keep going at this rate I'll be caught up by next week." She answered and added. "What about you? How's the club business?"

His chest shook with the gruff laughter that echoed in the room. "People need to feed and still enjoy a pretty woman dancing half naked, so I'd say it's going well."

"And the ah incident with the wolf, how did that go?" She asked, hoping Kiev didn't get into too much trouble because of her reckless and slightly stupid actions.

"I talked to the shapeshifter King and smoothed things out."

"Is he the one who did that?"

Kiev stiffened and she knew that he understood she meant the wound on his neck. He remained quiet for a few seconds and for a moment Harper believed he wouldn't respond but than he spoke in a steel like tone.

"No. It was after my meeting with Antonio that I was stabbed with a poison coated knife."

Harper winced, recalling her Hunter training with similar weapons. That poison wasn't as fatal as the ones used on the field or by other beings but it still hurt like a bítch.

"Mix a hand full of sage, one lavender plant and a couple coriander seeds. The healers at the Hunters use to use it to heal any injuries after practice." She offered, wishing she had the ingredients in her apartment. Then maybe she'd feel better about not being able to heal him.

  He slid his palm over her torso, slowly making his way over her ribs only to pause just beneath the hem of her bra. Holding her breath Harper didn't speak as he skimmed his fingers across her bra. Her nïpples strained against her bra, the erect buds evidence of her arousal. Kiev inhaled deeply, his chest rising but falling.
Frowning, Harper tilted her head upwards and saw he had closed his eyes, a pained expression etched into his features.

"Are you okay?" She asked and stared to sit up but was gently pushed down.

"Just a moment, I promise." He groaned as his fingers teased the hard nun of her bréast.

   Despite her confusion on what he was doing Harper felt her body react to his touch, moisture gathering between her thighs. Her lower abdomen clenched in anticipation when he slipped his cool fingers into her bra and captured her heavy mound in one hand. Parting her lips Harper arched her back, pressing herself closer to his hand. Kiev groaned, a gruff sound that resembled a wounded animal.

  She opened her mouth to ask if he was alright again when a soft glow caught her attention and silenced any words she had for him. A golden hue surrounded Kiev's body, almost like a bodily halo. Lifting her saucer like eyes up to Kiev for an explanation Harper watched his nostrils flare as inhaled deeply once more. The gold hue grew more pronounced as a warmth spread across Kiev's ashen skin.

   She turned to look at the angry black lines on the side of his neck. The dark lines began to retreat backwards toward the wound. Like a ton of bricks realization slammed into her. He's feeding. His jaw clenched and unclenched as he caught the erect nïpple between his middle and fore finger. A surge of pleasure spread throughout her body, her mounds growing heavier beneath his touch as the all too familiar flames of arousal were ignited.

He needs this, he needs me.

Taking his free hand from her hip she guided him across her thigh, over the shorts covering her womanhood. A delicious wave of excitement caused her to shudder as his fingers brushed her core.

"You're not ready." Kiev whispered hoarsely. He began to pull away.

Wrapping her fingers tightly around his wrist, Harper placed his hand between her thighs. Her soft gasp of pleasure caused him to go rigid as he inhaled once more. The soft gold hue grew darker, warmer as his fingers twitched in hesitation.

"Not for sëx. I don't fully trust you Kiev but.." She swallowed hard, finding her throat closing with emotion. "I don't want you to die." She admitted in a broken whisper.

   She knew she didn't have much choice. If his goal was to trick her into giving herself to him willingly then he succeeded. She cared too much about him to sit back and watch him suffer. Lowering her head to keep him from seeing the tears filling her eyes Harper knew she was sacrificing a part of herself, breaking her own heart by continuing but what choice did she have.

"It won't be enough but it's all I can give you." She sniffed as a tear slid along her cheek.

  With those last words she squeezed her eyes shut, ignoring the flow of tears skidding down her face as she concentrated on the tingling sensations his fingers were causing. She forced her mind to think about the warm sensation spreading through out her body, the way her nïpples perked and the way her lower abdomen clenched.

   She heard Kiev suck in a deep breath, his fingers caressed the soft skin of her inner thigh as he teased her taint nïpple.

   Burying her face against his chest Harper felt a warmth trickling down her throat, a sweetness that was like nothing she'd ever tasted before and she knew she was right about their connection. She was feeling him feed, feeling his relief as the sweetness touched his tongue, she felt his desperation for more and his restraint to keep from getting anymore. Biting her lip to keep from sobbing Harper heard Kiev inhale once again before the warmth of his body turned cold.

  Puzzled by the sudden chill Harper lifted her head to ask Kiev just as her body jerked forward, her face buried in the couch cushion. Twisting into a sitting position Harper began to ask what happened when she noticed the swirling smoke in the air.

  Kiev was gone.

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

   Sorry for the delay guys but I have been swamped for the last two weeks. I've literally spent all morning, since 5 a.m. to be exact writing this. Anyhoo I really need to organize my time better and stop these late updates. As always I love all of you for waiting and apologize for the delay.

  So what did you think of this chapter? How's our Kiev fairing and f****ed up are these two? Lol as always lay it on me y'all!