Disclaimer: Some concepts and characters in this story belong to ABC TV, specifically, the TV series Prey. This work was written without their permission or knowledge. No disrespect is intended to either the writers or actors. The character of Sarah Hillar belongs to me.

This piece has a high NC-17 rating for M/F sexual content. There is a *small* amount of violence.

Sarah could not believe he'd done it. She'd told him that she liked motorcycles, but she couldn't believe it when he actually rode up on one. Lewis on a motorcycle. She thought her heart was going to stop.

He pulled up behind her as she was walking home from the college and beeped at her. When she turned around, she couldn't believe her eyes. He was wearing jeans and the same leather jacket he always wore, but somehow it was different. He pulled off his sunglasses and grinned at her.

"I take it you like it?" he asked.

She walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder, running her eyes over his body, the machine, his leg, casually stretched to one side, bracing him upright. His hands rested lightly on the handlebars, as he cocked his head to one side and looked at her.

She moved closer and put her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his and kissing him. One of his arms went around her and he held her close, kissing her back. The feelings were so intense, she broke the kiss and put her head on his shoulder, pressing closer to him. He kissed her neck and whispered in her ear.

"Get on."

She grinned and climbed on the back, spreading her legs wide and wrapping her arms around his waist. He glanced over his shoulder at her.

"Ready?"

She nodded against his cheek, resting her head on his shoulder. "Aren't we supposed to be wearing helmets?" she asked.

He chuckled and revved the motor, then drove off down the street. She'd been on a motorcycle a few times in her life, but it was different with Lewis. The feel of the seat under her, vibrating against her most intimate parts was arousing. Of course, she was already aroused just because she was with him again, but being pressed against his back, her legs and body molded to his while they sped down the street, the motorcycle purring beneath them - it was a heady sensation. She closed her eyes and snuggled closer, pressing her cheek against his. She could feel the muscles of his cheek move as he smiled. They reached her house too soon and he pulled into the driveway.

"Do we have to stop?" she asked a bit breathlessly.

His hand caressed hers where it rested against his waist. "If we're going to go for a drive, you need to put on something more substantial than that flimsy dress."

"What's wrong with my dress?" she demanded.

"Nothing," he said, putting his hand on her knee and running it up, under the fabric over the outside of her thigh. "It's just not enough covering for riding on a motorcycle."

"Aren't you a good driver?"

"Of course." He glanced over his shoulder with an arrogant smile. "But not everyone else on the road is. I don't want to take a chance on you getting hurt."

Her breath caught at the casual statement. She leaned in and kissed him gently. He kissed back, moving his lips slowly over hers, his hand caressing hers again, his fingers working their way between hers to intertwine with them. The kiss ended and he brushed his nose over her cheek.

"Maybe we should move this inside, Sarah," he said softly.

She nodded and got off the motorcycle, trailing her hand over the seat wistfully.

"We'll go for a ride later," he said as he dismounted. Something about the way he swung his leg over the seat made her desire rise again. What was it about a man on a motorcycle? She grinned impishly, knowing the answer. Where else could you find a man in blue jeans and leather, his legs spread wide, riding up to you on a big, vibrating machine?

"What's funny?" he asked.

"I'll tell you later," she said, pressing close to him again.

His hands went to her waist as she molded herself to him from the front this time.

"I should have shown up on a motorcycle a long time ago," he murmured.

She giggled. "I think I always give you a pretty good reception when you show up."

His eyes darkened with desire. "That you do," he agreed, bending his head to kiss her again. They moved toward the door, still kissing and touching, her walking backwards and him guiding her. His touch was familiar now, comfortable, though the passion was still strong between them.

He'd been visiting her off and on for nearly nine months now. He usually showed up about twice a month, mostly on weekends, but sometimes during the weekdays. He'd stay a day or two, then leave again. Once, he'd stayed five days. That was a wonderful week. His time here always ended, though, and he would leave, going back to his plans to destroy her species.

She tried not to think about it when he was here, but it always crept up on her when he left. It was getting harder and harder to ignore. Sometimes she thought he was feeling it too, this difference, this vast gulf that divided them, but maybe she was just deluding herself.

Tom and Sloan had visited her twice. The second time, Lewis walked into the house minutes after they left. She knew he'd seen them here, but he didn't say anything. He just put his arms around her and Marked her, then picked her up and took her to bed. She didn't think he was precisely jealous, but he definitely felt the need to reassert his possession of her after seeing Tom here. Even if Tom did have Sloan with him.

Tom and Sloan didn't tell her much about what was going on at the Agency. Somehow, they knew that she didn't want to know. Maybe they thought she was trying to return to a normal life. She didn't tell them that Lewis was visiting her. It wasn't any of their business. Besides, she wouldn't put it past Tom to arrange a trap for Lewis if he decided it was necessary.

Lewis had continued to soften around her. That difference she'd noticed the first day he came to her here had continued to grow. Sometimes, she wondered if it was carrying over into the rest of his life, but that was another thing she tried not to think about. If he was changing, it had to be by his own choice, not because she asked it or tried to control him. Even if she didn't believe that it was wrong to try to control someone, she knew he'd never allow it. If he changed, it would be because he wanted to.

Their time together was always light, except for the dark demands of the passion between them. They went for long walks by the river and talked about books and movies. He told her stories about the world and the different cultures he'd seen. She'd been a bit surprised to find he had a passion for the old black and white movies of the forties and fifties. She also discovered that he liked to read the classics and they talked about Dickens and Austen and the Bronte sisters. Not surprisingly, he liked Tolstoy and Chekov as well. They avoided topics like politics or world events. Mostly, they spent a lot of time sitting together, touching each other. With so little time, they made the most of every minute they had.

Sarah always cried after he was gone, making sure to wait until he was far enough away that he wouldn't sense it. She knew that he knew she was only putting on a brave front when he kissed her goodbye each time, but she still did her best not to let him feel the pain in her. She wondered whether he felt pain as well, and not just hers. They'd never talked about it.

He was here now, though. His hands were on her body, his mouth covering hers. She didn't care about anything else when that was true.

They reached the door and she felt for her purse to get the key. He dug in his pocket and pulled out his own, pressing her against the door with his body, still kissing her as he fumbled for the keyhole. She giggled against his mouth. It was strange to think of Lewis fumbling for anything.

He made a frustrated noise and took his lips from hers, fitting the key into the lock and turning. His hand went to the handle and he opened the door as he leaned down to take her mouth again, his kiss slow and intimate. He moved them inside and absently pushed the door shut, then ran his hands down the length of her body, resting his forehead against hers.

"Slow this time, Sarah."

She nodded. As always, they were in synch sexually, wanting the same thing. Was it because he felt what she did? Did her needs drive his? Not that it mattered.

She twined her arms sensuously around his neck, pulling herself up to brush her lips over his. He shifted his weight, one arm tightening around her waist, lifting her and swinging her legs up to catch them with his other arm. She put her head on his shoulder with a sigh. He almost never let her walk to the bedroom. She was beginning to wonder if it was a Dominant thing or just a personal idiosyncrasy.

He carried her into the bedroom and set her on her feet, looking at her intently as he took off his jacket and threw it on the chair by the door. He was wearing a black turtleneck again. He looked so good in black.

She reached out and tugged the shirt free of his jeans, sliding her hands underneath, then pushing the shirt up. He drew it off and threw it with his jacket, then put his hands on her hips. His fingers moved, bunching the fabric of her dress, drawing it upwards bit by bit. She smiled and her fingers drifted over his chest and stomach down to his belt. She met his eyes as she slowly unfastened the buckle.

The skirt of her dress was up around her hips now, bunched in his hands and he drew it upwards, making her raise her arms so he could pull it off. He tossed it aside and caressed her cheek, then went to the bed and sat down to tug on his boots. She followed and bent to pull them off for him. His hand drifted over her hair as she tugged them free.

She stood, reaching behind her to unfasten her bra and toss it aside. His hands gently pulled her close and he rested his head against her, between her breasts. She ran her fingers through his soft hair, holding him to her. His hands moved on her back and she answered by moving hers down over the hard curve of his shoulder, following his spine as far down as she could reach.

Pulling away, she pressed him down on the bed, putting her hands under his arms and urging him to move up so his whole body was supported. She pushed her panties off her hips and stepped out of them, moving above him onto the bed, then straddling his hips and sinking down. His jeans rasped against her skin and she could feel the hard ridge of his erection under the fabric.

She smiled down at him, running her hands over his chest. He twined his fingers through hers, tugging gently and she leaned down in response, kissing him lightly on the mouth. Their lips moved, brushing, touching. His tongue crept out and followed the line of her lips, slipping in, then out as his mouth trailed over hers. His hands released hers and began to travel over her back, her buttocks, her thighs, fingers gently trailing patterns on her skin, rousing her slowly. She kissed his throat, his shoulders, his chest, bending to take a hard nipple in her mouth and tease it with her teeth. He hissed, pressing upwards with his hips.

She slid down his legs, her fingers going to the button and zipper of his jeans, releasing him. She dipped her fingers under the fabric and ran them along the hard length of him. His eyes closed, his hands caressing her wrists, then following up her arms as high as he could reach. She lifted her weight off him, grasping the waist of his jeans. He lifted his hips and she slid the jeans down his legs so he could kick them off. She'd long ago decided that he deliberately wore no underwear when he came to visit.

Her head bent down, and this time she kissed and licked his erection. She trailed her lips along the hard shaft that made the ache between her thighs intensify when she looked at it, and stroked the ache into a fiery blaze when it was inside her. She wanted it inside her now.

Lewis sat up, pulling her close, responding to the need she felt. She raised herself onto her knees and his hand went between them, drifting up to her sex, fingers caressing, then spreading her folds. Her hands rested on his shoulders as his other hand guided the tip of his erection to her hot, moist opening. She slowly lowered herself onto that hard length, closing her eyes, feeling all of him as he filled her.

His arms went around her and he kissed her again. Their lips parted and their tongues intertwined, relearning each other as they did every time they came together. He began to rock, gently, and she rode him, enjoying the slow, soft build of the need. Sometimes she wanted it hard and driving, but lately, she wanted it like this, slow and intimate, and he gave her what she wanted.

She gave herself to him, making sure he knew it, that he felt it every time they were together. There was a price for what she gave, though, and he paid it honestly in the coin she asked. He gave himself to her, opening to her more often and easily now. He was hers. When she looked down into his eyes as he moved within her, she saw all that he was in those incredible blue orbs. She smiled gently as he rocked her against him.

Her breath came faster and her head dropped back as the pleasure built. His mouth traveled her neck and his arms tightened a bit as his movement increased in speed. His hand slipped between them, his finger dipping low, taking a position that caused her clitoris to press against it with each subtle rock of his hips. She felt the orgasm hit and gasped, shuddering, her thighs tightening, the muscles of her sex clasping him inside her. As always, her pleasure triggered his own and he released himself to join her in the climax.

They were lying together, just holding and touching each other. She needed this when he came to see her. She had so little time with him, she needed to just feel his body against hers, his hands on her. He seemed to feel the same way.

A strange sound made her jump. He sighed and pulled away from her, getting out of bed and walking to his clothes. As he picked up his jacket, she realized the sound was the ring of a cell phone. He pulled it out and flipped it open.

"Lewis."

There was silence as he listened. The he spoke again. "Implement. I'll be there tomorrow."

He closed the phone and turned back to look at her. His eyes where shielded again. He looked at her for several moments, then smiled a bit sadly. "I have to go."

She closed her eyes. "I gathered that," she said softly.

She could hear him moving, heard the noises of fabric rustling as he drew on his clothes. This had never happened before. His work had never come with him before; he'd always left it behind. Or, at least, she thought he had. She felt the bed move as he sat beside her and opened her eyes to look at him.

"I'll be back when I can. Do you need anything? Do you have enough money?"

Her eyes widened as she nodded. He'd never asked her that before. He'd never been called back before, either. His hand stroked her hair and his eyes traveled her face slowly. "Sarah," he whispered, leaning in to Mark her.

He kissed her gently, then stood and walked swiftly out the bedroom door. She heard the front door shut and a few moments later, the motorcycle engine revved. It rumbled away down the street and she listened until she couldn't hear it anymore. Then she lay back in the bed, pulling the pillow he'd used close and inhaling deeply to catch his scent. She closed her eyes against the lump in her throat, trying not to cry, but she didn't succeed.

Three months passed. He didn't come back. She went through her daily routine, but found that she was becoming more and more nervous and jittery. She tried to tell herself it was just the lack of sex, but she knew better. It was the lack of him.

She was like an addict. The first six weeks after the kidnapping, she'd been depressed. Then, again when she was here alone, she'd dipped into the same depression. Those times, she'd never expected to have him again, though. Now, she kept expecting him, waiting for him, wanting him. She was like a junkie who knew the next fix was around the corner if she could just hold out until the pusher arrived.

The image amused her for a moment as she pictured Lewis standing on a street corner, slinking into the light of a dim street lamp, gesturing for her to come closer. 'I got what you need,' the phantom Lewis whispered. She shivered as the image changed and he pressed her against a dirty wall, his jeans unfastened as he gave her what she needed from him, there in the street, under the street light.

She took a deep breath, shoving the image aside, trying to concentrate on grading the papers in front of her. That wasn't what she needed from him. That was just what her body wanted. *She* needed *him*, not just his sex. She wondered, not for the first time, if he felt anything close to what she did.

She gnawed on the tip of her pencil as she tried to focus on the sentence she'd been reading. He'd never been away so long, and the way he'd left was so unusual. When he asked if she had enough money, it almost seemed as though he was making sure she'd be all right if he didn't come back.

"Sarah."

She spun around, standing so quickly she knocked over the chair she was sitting in. She hadn't heard the door open, hadn't heard him walk up behind her. He stood looking at her, his eyes shielded so tight they almost looked dead.

Her heart pounded and she took a step toward him, then another, then flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him fiercely. Her tongue thrust between his lips and she claimed his mouth again. She shoved his jacket off his shoulders, then pulled his shirt free of his jeans. She started to unbutton the buttons, but it was too much trouble and she just pulled hard. The buttons flew free and she shoved his shirt off too.

Her hands roamed desperately over his chest and back, feeling all of him, making sure he wasn't damaged in any way. He inhaled deeply, but otherwise made not move. Her mouth traveled urgently down his neck seeking his response. She pulled away from him just long enough to rip off the large t-shirt she was wearing, then her hands went to his belt and the fastening of his jeans. She pushed him down to the floor, shoving his jeans down to his knees, not even bothering to remove them or his boots.

He went willingly as she kissed him again. She straddled him, positioning his erection, then sank down on him, pressing herself hard so she took him deep. His hands moved to her hips as she pressed onto him, rocking, possessing him. Her mouth came down on his for a moment, then she pulled back and looked into his eyes. He still wasn't with her.

She leaned down and Marked him, her hands grasping his shoulders hard as she moved on him. Her mouth traveled down his neck, around to the other side of his face where she Marked him again. His hands finally tightened on her hips and he thrust, matching her movement. Her mouth traveled down again, to the round of his shoulder and she bit, possessively.

His breath hissed out between his teeth and he thrust again. She straightened, pushing herself down, matching his strokes as he began to move. She rode him, claiming his body, making it hers. He was hers. He'd given himself to her and she wasn't going to let him forget that.

His thrusts became harder, more urgent and she leaned down, Marking him again. "Mine," she whispered as she straightened, her fingers grasping his shoulders as she thrust down onto him. A growl escaped him and he thrust once, twice, then his entire body tensed as he climaxed. Triumph shot through her as she moved once more, then joined him in release, knowing that she had him at last, completely.

They were both panting, breathing heavily as she came back to herself. His hands were still on her hips and she still clasped his shoulders. She opened her eyes slowly and looked down. His were still closed and she waited until they opened, a predatory smile on her face, then she leaned down and Marked him softly again.

His hands tightened and he rolled suddenly, trying to pin her beneath him, but his jeans, still around his knees, hampered his movements. He made a frustrated sound, looking into her eyes as they lay together in a tangled heap on their sides. She laughed softly and reached out, caressing his cheek.

"Poor, Lewis," she said.

His mouth barely quirked in a sardonic smile and he leaned close, Marking her. Then he drew away, making her inhale sharply as he pulled out of her. He sat up, reaching down to pull off his boots, then kick his jeans off. She lay on the floor, smiling softly at the sight. It was kind of pleasant to see him discomfited for a change.

He looked over at her and she knew the moment was gone. The light in his eyes said he was about to reestablish their respective roles in this relationship. He leaned toward her and she expected him to pick her up and carry her to the bedroom, but instead, he cupped her cheek with his hand.

"You do have an interesting effect on me, Sarah."

"I'd like to think it's more than an 'effect'," she whispered.

His eyes narrowed and the light burned brighter. This time, he did scoop her up and carry her to the bedroom. Dropping her on the bed, he straddled her body and braced his hands on either side of her. She caressed his arms, looking up at him with a smile. He smiled back and his head lowered so he could trail kisses down her neck and nibble her ears. She shivered with pleasure.

She closed her eyes as his hands worked their magic, making her moan and gasp and press her hips up against him. He stayed where he was, keeping her confined between his legs, not letting her spread hers more than a few inches, even when his fingers dipped down and moved between her thighs. He was definitely reminding her who was in charge here. Her hands clasped his shoulders, her head thrown back and her mouth open as she gasped and moved sensuously under his body.

"Lewis," she whispered. "Lewis, I can't wait any longer."

He groaned and his mouth covered hers, his body coming down on top of her as his knees moved between her thighs.

"Lewis," she gasped when he released her mouth. She moaned his name again, arching up against him.

"Sarah," he whispered.

He took a deep breath and rose onto his knees, pulling her hips up and thrusting into her. She cried out as she felt him enter her, her fingers clutching at the sheets beneath her. She could feel him straining to move slowly, to keep control. She arched again, straining towards him.

"Lewis," she gasped again. "You need it, too."

His hands dug into her hips and he thrust again. The slow movement he'd tried for was lost as their hips merged and he began to enter her in strong, deep thrusts. A groan, almost of pain, escaped him as he moved. Opening her eyes, she could see his face, his eyes closed. A gasp of absolute pleasure escaped her as she realized he was lost in the moment, in her body, that nothing existed for him but her. She shook, climaxing, then climaxed again as his hands tightened and the tension in his body increased. His motion was so perfect and the feel of him as he thrust once, twice more carried her with him into another explosion of pleasure that left her shaking and breathless as he gasped above her in the throes of his own ecstasy.

He stayed for three days, each day making up for one month of their separation. He didn't tell her what had kept him away so long and she didn't ask. Something had changed in her, though. She wasn't happy accepting this passive role any longer. She wanted things to change, but she didn't know how. The last hour the morning before he was to leave, they lay together on the bed. They'd just made love, slowly and tenderly. Now they were wrapped around each other, neither one wanting to pull away.

"Think about it, Sarah," he said suddenly.

Her eyebrows drew together as she tried to figure out what he was talking about.

"I know this isn't enough for you anymore," he continued. "Think about what you want instead. We'll talk when I come back."

An ache started deep inside her, and a slow fear that he wouldn't come back to her began to grow inside her.

"I told you, I won't leave you unless you tell me to," he said softly. His head dipped down and he slowly Marked her cheek. She barely heard the whisper. "Yours."

The knot in her stomach began to relax and she closed her eyes against the tears that pricked her eyes. She would not cry while he was here.

"Why not?" he asked in response to her feelings, continuing to gently nuzzle her cheek. "You can't hide anything from me, Sarah. I know your pain. I always have."

The tears came at the gentle statement. "I wish I knew if you felt the same way," she said brokenly.

His cheek moved over her hair. "It's the same, but it's not." He was silent for a moment, then he spoke in the same whisper, so soft she barely heard him. "I ache when we're apart."

Her arms tightened on him and she began to cry. He held her, stroking her hair and her back, not speaking or making any sound, just touching her. Eventually she quieted and he sighed.

"I have to go," he said.

She nodded against his chest, not releasing him. He turned, pressing her onto her back and spread her legs with his knee, then glided into her again. She gasped, rearing up against him. He moved slowly, gently, his shaft sliding easily in and out of her. She gave herself to the pleasure, to the moment, to him, and let his movements, his mouth, his hands control her.

He took her slowly through pleasure to urgency and need, then satiated that need with strong thrusts. She cried out, calling his name as the climax surged through her. As the shudders of pleasure passed away, he held her, then kissed her softly and pulled away, climbing out of bed and drawing on his clothes. He turned at the door and smiled at her, then left. This time, she didn't wait until he was gone. She let herself cry.

A few moments later, she felt the bed sag as his weight came back down on it and his arms went around her. She cried harder, partly grief that he was leaving, partly joy that he'd returned. He pulled her against him, molding his body around her back and pressed his cheek to hers.

"Sarah," he whispered against her ear. "You're so deep inside me. I can't stop feeling you."

The sobs racked her body at his quiet words and he held her, nuzzling her cheek until she began to quiet.

"I don't want to leave," he whispered, his arms tightening. Then he pulled away abruptly and walked out the door.

Several days later, Sarah walked into her house and stopped. Julia stood in the living room.

"Hello, Sarah," Julia said calmly.

"What are you doing here?" Sarah looked around, searching for Lewis.

"He's not here," Julia said. "He sent me to fetch you."

Sarah looked at her suspiciously. She didn't believe Lewis would ever send anyone to fetch her, with the possible exception of Tom. Even that was unlikely.

"I don't believe you," Sarah said finally.

Julia shrugged. "A pity. It would have made this easier."

Another woman and a man came out of Sarah's bedroom. The woman was carrying one of Sarah's suitcases. Sarah turned for the front door, but Julia was there. She wasn't much bigger than Sarah, but she had the extra strength of a Dominant female as she grabbed Sarah's arm and spun her around.

Sarah looked into her eyes, dragging up the only threat she knew. "Lewis will kill you," she said intently.

Fear flickered in Julia's eyes. "I know. But I have my orders."

She released Sarah and stepped back, gesturing to the other two to come forward. "This is Samuel and Anne. They will take you to your destination."

Sarah looked at Julia, eyes wide, fear growing.

"They won't hurt you, Sarah. You belong to Lewis. We wouldn't damage his possession."

Sarah heard the truth in that statement. Whatever their plan, they would not take a chance on angering Lewis by hurting her.

"Then why...?"

Julia looked at her. "Lewis has changed. We believe it's because of you."

A tiny spark of triumph surged through Sarah. She had affected him.

Julia's eyes narrowed. "When you're one of us, Sarah, you'll no longer be pleased by this."

Sarah's began to tremble and unreasoning fear shot through her. They were going to change her, make her a Dominant. Samuel moved, grabbing her before she could try to bolt again.

"You shouldn't have told her," Anne said. "Now she'll be more difficult to manage."

Julia shrugged again. "Drug her."

Samuel continued to hold Sarah as Anne nodded and went to another bag sitting by the door. She pulled out a syringe and removed the cap, tapping the container gently the way doctors did. Julia took Sarah's arm and straightened it. Between Samuel and Julia, Sarah was held completely immobile as Anne approached and inserted the needle. Tears trickled down Sarah's cheeks as she felt the numbness wash through her body and thought fled.

Julia sat quietly in Sarah Hillar's living room, waiting for Lewis. He should arrive soon. The leaders had arranged for him to be told that they intended to take Sarah. He would come here first and Julia would tell him the decision the leaders had made. By the time Lewis reached the place to which Sarah was being taken, she would already have received the injection of DNA and there would be nothing he could do to stop the process. Sarah would be returned to him and, when she'd changed, Lewis would return to normal. His mate would be one of them.

Julia took a deep breath. She, herself, would most likely not be alive to see that happen. Lewis would undoubtedly kill her. He'd killed one of his other protégé's, Lisa, without hesitation simply as a means to a goal. Julia had kidnapped his mate. She would not survive.

She told herself it was worth the price. She was only a minor operative; her skills were limited. Lewis was one of their greatest trainers. Bringing him back to them was worth a great deal more than her life. The leaders anticipated that they would lose everyone at the facility as well when Lewis went to reclaim his mate. Again, the price was inconsequential. Everyone there was expendable.

She felt him coming up the walk. The barest flicker of anger escaped him and she trembled. Standing, she faced the door and waited. It opened and he stepped inside, moving close to her, circling her, then stopping in front of her and looking down impassively.

The silence drew out as she waited for him to speak. He didn't.

Finally, Julia chose to begin. "She's gone."

"I know." His voice was flat and cold. He continued to wait without speaking.

Julia swallowed hard. "The leaders decided that you were being unduly influenced by the human female. They decided to take action."

"Did you harm her?" He moved closer, his eyes boring into hers.

"Of course not." Julia was honestly surprised that he would think so. "She's yours."

"Yes," he hissed. "She is."

Julia swallowed again. "The leaders decided that she should be changed."

He started and his eyes widened.

"She's been taken to the New Mexico facility for DNA infusion. There's no way for you to get there in time to prevent this from occurring."

His hand shot out, closing on her throat, squeezing slowly, cutting off her oxygen.

"It was worth the price," she gasped out.

He leaned close and his ice-blue eyes were all she could see as darkness closed over her.

"I'm pleased you believe that," was the last thing she heard.

Sarah woke slowly, memory returning before body control did. When she felt herself settle into her physical being again, her stomach heaved. A basin was placed under her mouth and firm, but gentle hands held her as she vomited. When she stopped, she lay where she was, trembling and sobbing quietly.

"The nausea will pass quickly, Ms. Hillar."

She looked up, blinking away tears and focused on the man in front of her. He was totally average in height and build. His head was almost completely bald. His eyes were blue, not the intense, ice-blue of Lewis', but a warmer, almost gray-blue.

"I'm afraid I can't give you much time to recover. I must give you the injection soon."

The trembling increased and she pressed her hand to her mouth, pulling as far away from him as she could. He cocked his head, studying her.

"I'm sorry the idea frightens you so badly. I had hoped... Well, I thought that perhaps you would appreciate the idea of becoming one of us so you could truly be Lewis' mate. No matter. Once the change is complete, you'll understand."

"I'll still be me," she whispered, desperately trying to believe that.

"Certainly. But you'll be different. The physiological change will necessarily alter your thoughts and feelings."

She stared at him, tears running down her cheeks. She hoped that Lewis would arrive in time to stop it, but she knew the hope was futile. They must have planned for that contingency. It was undoubtedly why this man said he couldn't wait very long before he started the procedure.

"Would you like to use the bathroom?" he asked. "Clean yourself up?" He indicated a door to the right.

She nodded and stood carefully, a bit shaky on her feet.

"Would you like some help?" he asked solicitously. "I can call Anne."

She shook her head vehemently. The last thing she wanted was another one of them around.

"As you wish," he said.

She walked slowly into the bathroom and shut the door, looking around. There was a window, but when she looked out, she saw that she was on an upper floor and there was a sheer drop straight down the building. There was no way out unless she was willing to jump to her death. Even that option was closed to her by large, decorative grillwork over the outside of the window.

She sighed and leaned over the sink, rinsing her mouth. She relieved herself, then rinsed her face and neck. When she opened the door, she saw that the basin had been removed and there was no trace that she'd ever been sick. A metal cart had been rolled into the room. The top shelf contained only a needle and syringe next to a small vial.

She stared at the vial, knowing it contained the DNA infusion that would change her into one of them. She swallowed hard and looked up, meeting the man's eyes. There was a tiny trace of pity in them.

"By the way," he said gently, "my name is Christopher. I'll be taking care of you during the change."

She swallowed again and nodded. This man was better then the others. He was different, softer somehow. She would rather have him then Julia or Anne or Samuel.

"Thank you," she whispered.

He looked surprised. "You're welcome." He paused looking at her carefully. "They picked me because I've gone through this." She stared at him wide-eyed and he nodded. "I was human once, just like you. I was one of the first successful crossovers."

"Then how can you...?"

"You'll understand once you've changed," he interrupted. "The communal urge, the will to survive as a species is stronger in us than in humans. Human instinct for individual survival has become stronger than the urge to protect the species. That's why we will succeed eventually."

"Why do you have to succeed? Why can't we coexist?"

He looked at her, the compassion stronger now. "Do you really think humans would allow us to live?" he asked softly.

She opened her mouth, then closed it as she considered the question. Individual humans would accept the existence of a second species, but not the society as a whole. Even Sloan, who loved a Dominant, was essentially working toward their elimination. The Dominants would be hunted down and, at worst, killed, at best, placed in confinement, turned into prisoners or virtual slaves just as the Africans had been when they were first discovered.

Christopher nodded again. "You see. We have no choice."

She didn't believe that was true, but she had no argument that would sway him. Only a gut feeling that there must be another way if they would only seek it.

"Please sit down, Ms. Hillar. It's time to begin."

She looked at him fearfully. "What will happen?"

"You'll feel a little dizzy at first, possibly nauseous, but that will pass. The change takes at least a week, sometimes up to a month to complete, but it cannot be stopped once it starts."

"Is it reversible?"

He smiled. "Why would we bother to find out? No one has ever wanted to go back." He gestured for her to sit, then continued his explanation as she complied. "There will be pain occasionally, but it passes. Each person reacts differently."

"What about...?" She placed her hand on her stomach.

He filled the syringe from the vial as he answered. "You'll develop at least one additional uterus, but that will take time. One female took an entire year to finish changing internally. Few human females who make the change end up with more than two uteri."

After he put on rubber gloves, he walked back over to her. "Do I need to call for assistance or will you cooperate?"

She remembered the willow tree analogy from the time when Lewis kidnapped her. Bend with the wind and survive. Now, as then, she saw no point in making it more difficult for herself. Fighting them would do no good. She bit her lip and held out her arm.

"I begin to see why Lewis claimed you, Ms. Hillar." She looked up and saw respect in his eyes. He swabbed the interior of her elbow with alcohol and continued. "You'll feel emotions that you won't understand, have thoughts that make no sense to you at first. They will as the change takes hold. You will also begin to feel other people's emotions. It's very frightening at first. You may become violent. We'll restrain you and prevent you from damaging yourself, although we expect that by then, Lewis will be here to care for you. Actually, I expect that he'll arrive well before that, sometime within the next several hours."

"Lewis? He knows about this?" A surge of betrayal ran through her.

"He didn't agree to this," Christopher said in response to her feelings. "He knows about it by now, though. Undoubtedly, he's on his way here."

There was something a little odd about the man's tone, but she couldn't place it. She'd been right, though, that the reason for their haste was to keep Lewis from preventing this. That made her feel a bit better. He didn't know. He would have fought to stop it. They knew that even better than she did.

"Why did you tell him?" she asked "Why not just wait until I've changed?"

Christopher gave her a surprised look. "You're his. We wouldn't keep you from him for a month or more."

"If I'm his, shouldn't you have asked his permission before you did this?" she challenged.

He looked away. "Normally, yes. But the leaders couldn't take a chance on losing an operative as valuable as Lewis. We'll pay the price for their choice when he arrives."

"What do you mean, 'pay the price'?"

He gave her an ironic look. "What do you think Lewis will do when he gets here?"

Understanding struck her. "He'll kill you."

He nodded. "Probably everyone else here as well."

"Then why are you doing this?"

"I volunteered. All of us did. Lewis is too important to allow him to slip away from us."

She stared at him, realizing suddenly just how high up in the hierarchy Lewis must be for them to go to these lengths. She was sure that Tom didn't even knew how important his mentor really was. The fact that Tom hadn't been killed suddenly made sense. Lewis didn't want Tom killed, therefore, he hadn't been.

Christopher took her arm and tucked it under his, holding it firmly against his side. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"No, but go ahead," she answered softly.

She made herself watch as he expertly raised a vein and inserted the needle, but she closed her eyes as she felt the fluid entering her body. A tear crept down her cheek. Irreversible. After today, she would never be this person again.

Christopher was surprised at the strength in this woman. Perhaps he shouldn't be. Lewis had chosen her as his mate, after all. Even the leaders acknowledged that for Lewis to make such a choice, to Claim a human and allow her to Claim him, she must be an exceptional female. Still, since Christopher had become one of the new species, he had seen how weak most humans were. Sarah Hillar was different.

She was lying down now. As he'd predicted, she'd become dizzy and slightly nauseous immediately after the injection. He sat nearby, watching her so he could bring her a basin if she needed it or assist her to the washroom. She was quite lovely, really - small and delicate-boned, a petite blonde with soft gray eyes. A man as appreciative of beauty as Lewis' was purported to be would find her aesthetically pleasing.

She also appealed on a more fundamental level. Christopher had heard that Lewis was extremely possessive of this woman and now he understood why. Her seeming fragility, an incredibly feminine softness and remarkably powerful emotions appealed to the instincts of a Dominant in Christopher, made him curious how she would respond to him as a male. Such thoughts were dangerous, though. She belonged to Lewis.

Once she'd changed, of course, Lewis would have to request that she accept his Claim again. Humans could be owned, but Dominants did not own each other. Monogamy was by choice. Sarah Hillar would be free to choose Lewis or not once she was one of them. From what Christopher had heard about Lewis, it was unlikely she wouldn't choose to renew her alliance with him.. He was one of their most exceptional males.

Christopher glanced at his watch. It had been nearly an hour since he'd given her the injection. He heard a helicopter in the distance and some instinct told him his death was arriving in that vehicle. Naturally, Lewis would have found the fastest means to bring him here and he had all the resources of his position to do so.

It was a good thing Christopher had chosen to inject Ms. Hillar as soon as it was safe to do so. He'd waited nearly eight hours for the sedatives Anne had given Sarah to leave her system sufficiently. He would take no chances on damaging this woman. Not only because she was Lewis' property, but because she deserved no less in herself. She would be a strong and worthy mate for Lewis, providing him with many offspring once the instincts were in place.

The helicopter came closer and Christopher heard it land in the courtyard. He sighed. He'd accepted his death, but he still regretted it. He would rather live. More, he admitted to himself, he would rather live and get to know this extraordinary woman who had enchanted one of the greatest of his kind.

Sarah stirred, waking from her restless sleep. She tilted her head, listening, then looked over at Christopher with a question in her eyes.

"Lewis," he said simply.

Her breath caught and her head turned toward the sound. Outside, the noises of the helicopter died away and he heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. There was no hesitation. Lewis would feel exactly where his mate was. Christopher stood and stepped back against the wall, leaving Lewis a straight path to Sarah.

The door slammed open and Lewis stood in the doorway. Christopher had never seen him in person, but he'd heard stories of the man's sheer presence. The stories weren't exaggerated. Christopher lowered his head and projected submission.

A flash from Lewis told Christopher that he'd been noticed, but that, for the moment, he was irrelevant. Lewis focused on Sarah, who was trying to sit up, despite the dizziness. Christopher started to move toward her, to help her, but a growl from Lewis stopped him and he pressed back against the wall.

Lewis moved across the room. Christopher could not believe the grace and power of the man. He was spectacular. Lewis was beside his mate in a heartbeat, his arms going around her, gently supporting her. Her arms went around him, and Christopher could feel the grief and pain being released in her.

"Leave us," Lewis snapped out. He turned his head as Christopher hurried to obey. Ice-blue eyes bored into him, freezing him in place. "Don't go far," Lewis said in a dangerous voice.

Christopher lowered his eyes submissively and projected an affirmative, then left the room and shut the door. He took a deep breath, trembling. If he survived this, if Lewis let him live, he would never, ever let Lewis know that he had entertained thoughts about his mate. Christopher couldn't believe he'd actually looked at her. Now that he'd seen Lewis in person, he knew he would never look at Sarah Hillar again.

Sarah clung to Lewis, trembling. His arms held her protectively, but it was too late. He couldn't protect her from this. She was already changing.

"Sarah." His voice was soft, gentle and slightly hesitant.

A tiny sob escaped her. "It's too late, Lewis. You're too late."

His arms tightened around her. "How long ago?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe an hour."

He exhaled slowly, a ragged breath. "I'm sorry, Sarah."

She could hear the pain in his voice. The single sustaining thought came to her that when this was over, she'd be able to feel what he felt. She would never again have a question about him that she wouldn't be able to feel the answer to. She pushed slowly away from him, still a little dizzy. His hands supported her as his eyes looked into hers.

"I didn't know," he said.

She nodded. "They told me. They expect you to kill everyone here because they did this."

His eyes hardened and his nostrils flared. "I may."

A momentary fear surged through her, but she felt too miserable for it to keep hold of her. She looked into his eyes. "That doctor who just left. Christopher. Don't kill him."

His nostrils flared again and she saw jealousy in his eyes.

"Lewis..." Her hand cupped his cheek and she leaned close to kiss him gently. "You *know* how I feel about you. How could you not?"

She could see some of the tension drain out of him, but not all of it.

"He was kind to me," she said. "He tried to make it easier on me. That's all."

Lewis studied her. "Did he volunteer for this assignment?"

"He said he did."

"Then he chose this death. You will understand when you've completed the change."

Her breath caught at the casual statement. Her chin quivered and she bit her lower lip to keep from crying. He lowered his head and took another deep breath.

"I'm sorry Sarah. I'm very angry. You can't understand what it means for them to have done this to you without my permission. Not yet. You will, though. You'll feel it when you've changed. You'll understand why they have to die."

A tear crept down her cheek. "I don't want to."

He pulled her close and rested his cheek on her hair. "I know. We can't stop it now, though."

"Would you stop it if you could?" she asked softly.

His answer was immediate and unhesitating. "Yes."

She pulled away a bit. "Why? You offered to change me before."

His fingers touched her cheek, brushing away the tears. "That would have been your choice."

She looked at him, grateful that he wanted her to have the choice, even if he hadn't been able to enforce it. She took a ragged breath. "I'll be different."

He nodded.

"Will you still want me?" She was surprised at how much her voice quivered on that question.

His hands tightened on her and she thought he would pull her to him, but he didn't. "That will be up to you."

She looked at him, confused.

"We do not own each other among our own kind, Sarah. Monogamy must be chosen by both individuals among our people."

A flash of anger ran through her and she grabbed his face between her hands. "You're mine," she said fiercely. "You gave yourself to me. I won't let you go."

He smiled slowly, then leaned in and Marked her. "Good," he said in a silky voice. "Because I never intended to let you go, either. Custom or no custom."

Another sob escaped her. At least she would still have Lewis, even if she didn't have herself. She knew that the need for him was so strong that even a loss of who she was now wouldn't change it. She looked into his eyes, knowing that he felt what she did. More tears trickled down her cheeks.

"I'm scared, Lewis."

He didn't speak, just put his arms around her and pulled her close, holding her against him protectively. He couldn't protect her against the change, but, for the moment, it didn't matter. He was here and she could pretend that she was safe again.

The dizziness got worse after several minutes and Sarah had to lie down again. Lewis sat on the side of the bed, holding her hand and stroking her hair.

"Can you stay?" she asked softly.

His hand tightened on hers. "We won't be apart again."

She closed her eyes. "Is that how it is among your people?"

"For those who have Claimed and Accepted, yes." He paused then continued speaking. It seemed to Sarah that he was trying to distract her from her physical misery.

"For the rest, there are generally short-term alliances. Familial bonds are less strong among our people, but the overall connection to the species is stronger."

Sarah tried to nod, but felt another wave of dizziness at the movement. She gritted her teeth, refusing to give in to the nausea. When she could speak, she followed Lewis' lead and continued the conversation. "Christopher said something like that. That the urge to protect the species is stronger in Dominants and the urge to protect the individual is stronger in humans."

"That's correct."

She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Then why are you so concerned about me?"

It seemed that he wouldn't answer, but after a moment, he spoke softly. "There are those who make a Claim and are Accepted among my people. It's rare, but when it happens, the bond is extremely strong. A recognized Claim is respected by all of us because it is so rare and so strong."

"But I'm not one of you. Not yet, anyway," she added a little bitterly.

Lewis stroked her hair. "That's irrelevant. I Claimed you. They must respect that."

"Would they respect my claim on you?"

He smiled. "Of course not. They acknowledge it only to the extent that I do."

"So their concern about touching me without your permission is only because I'm your property?" She was partly amused, partly irritated, but not surprised. "Sort of like, you don't touch other people's toys without permission?"

He laughed. "Exactly."

She chuckled, then bit down on another wave of nausea.

He leaned close, concerned. "What can I do?" he asked.

"Nothing. Christopher said this would pass fairly quickly."

"Is he very conversant with the change?"

"He went through it himself. Apparently, he also helps people through it a lot."

"Good. I may let him live long enough to see you through this."

She looked up at him sadly. "Would you let him live just because I asked it?" she said softly.

He looked down at her, then leaned close and Marked her gently. "I'll let him live until you complete the change," he said softly in her ear. "If you ask again at that time, I won't refuse you."

She sighed softly, loving the feel of him near her like this, the way his breath wafted her hair gently aside, the sound of it moving past her ear. She put her arms around him and he slid his under her, holding her close again.

The nausea struck again and this time, she couldn't control it. "Lewis," she whispered, gagging.

He moved quickly, grabbing the basin from the floor and holding it for her. One strong hand steadied her head as she vomited. There was nothing in her stomach to come up, but she retched for nearly a minute. When it finally passed, she lay back, panting.

He looked down at her and she could see the helpless concern slowly fading into a terrible anger. The door opened and she grabbed his arm as he spun around.

"Forgive me, Lewis," Christopher said. "I felt her becoming sick. There are things you can do which may make her more comfortable. We've learned over the years what helps."

Lewis nodded once and Christopher scurried over to the cart. He opened the lower cabinets and pulled out some fresh fruit, pre-sliced in a bowl. "The melons, especially seem to help the nausea," he said, holding the bowl at arms length and offering it to Lewis. "At the very least, it's better if she has something in her stomach so the lining is not damaged when she vomits."

Sarah could see Lewis visibly controlling his anger. He reached out and took the bowl. She was surprised he didn't crush it.

"What else?" he growled.

"There are juices and sodas in the refrigerator." Christopher gestured toward the corner of the room. "When she feels better, you should see that she gets as much fluid as possible. Also, she might be more comfortable if you remove her clothing."

Lewis' eyes narrowed and Christopher swallowed hard. Lewis cocked his head in a manner that Sarah was familiar with. She couldn't see his face, but she knew one eyebrow was raised, indicating that Christopher was to finish his statements. Christopher swallowed again.

"If she becomes feverish, there's alcohol and cloths under the sink in the bathroom." His voice shook. "When the nausea passes, a warm bath will help settle the dizziness."

Lewis looked at him silently.

"There are other things that will help during the later stages of the change," Christopher said nervously. "I've written them down for you."

"Sarah asked for your life," Lewis said flatly. "I've agreed to let you live until the change is complete. At that time, you will die unless she asks again."

All the blood drained out of Christopher's face at the pronouncement. He glanced at Sarah, meeting her eyes. "Thank you for several more days of life," he said softly.

"Is there more?" Lewis demanded.

Christopher shook his head. "Not for this stage."

"Then get out."

Christopher turned and dashed for the door, closing it carefully behind him. Sarah smiled up at Lewis. "You really frightened him, you know." At the moment, it didn't bother her very much.

"He should be frightened." Lewis carefully picked out a largish piece of cantaloupe and held it close to her lips. "I remember how much you like cantaloupe," he said softly as Sarah nibbled cautiously, sucking the juices down her throat. It did make her feel better.

"That was one of the first truly unguarded, completely spontaneous things you did with me," Lewis said.

"Not the first," she whispered around the sweet melon.

He smiled sardonically. "The others I drove you to. You had no choice."

She stopped nibbling, gently pushing his hand away, and looked at him. "There was more between us than compulsion, even during those first days. Haven't you realized that yet?"

He looked down at her, silently, his eyes guarded.

"Don't you remember the first time I gave myself to you?" she asked.

"In the hotel."

She shook her head with a smile. "The first time you entered my body. You drove me crazy, making me want you so badly I invited you, but even that first time, there was more. There was something..." She trailed off, trying to remember how it had been. "I... asked for something and you gave it. I didn't understand it, then. I still don't really, but it was the basis for everything that came after."

He was looking at her curiously.

She smiled wistfully. "I'm not making much sense, am I?"

"More than you might think." He put the cantaloupe back to her mouth and she started nibbling again. "Did you know that I Claimed you the day I returned you to the Agency?" he asked.

She stopped nibbling and stared at him in surprise. He smiled and moved the cantaloupe on her lips to get her started again.

"I warned Tom empathically that day that you were mine. I told myself that I intended to act on that claim only the one time. It might have been true if Giddings and Attwood hadn't kidnapped you."

He dropped the last of the bit of cantaloupe into her mouth and picked up another piece. "When Tom told me you'd been taken, I was furious. Up to that point, I'd almost forgotten about you."

She made a small noise of protest and he leaned down and brushed his nose over her cheek. "Almost," he said softly. He sat up again. "I was furious that you'd been taken, but the anger was abstract." He gave her an amused look. "I'm not accustomed to having other people play with my toys."

She giggled. "I take it you didn't get high marks on 'shares and plays well with others' in kindergarten?"

He laughed outright. "Hardly. Even when I first reclaimed you," he continued with a smile, "I still thought I'd let you go again."

"... Until?" she prompted.

He gave her a direct look. "You know when it began to change, Sarah."

She smiled mischievously. "The first time I Marked you."

He looked down at her and the fire was beginning to burn in his eyes. "I was surprised when I responded to your claim. That was when I realized you might be more than a toy to me."

She took the last of the cantaloupe into her mouth, then caught his hand with her own before he could move it away. "How much more?" she asked softly. She pulled his hand lower and gently took one of his fingers, sticky with cantaloupe juice, between her lips. She sucked the juice off, running her tongue around his finger, then moved her lips to the next one that needed cleaning.

"Sarah..." The warning was there. She knew he was concerned because she was sick, but she didn't care. He was hers and she wanted him, needed him to prove it to her again. She needed him to possess her and give himself in the taking.

"Christopher did say I'd be more comfortable if you took my clothes off," she suggested, between licks. "Don't you want to make me more comfortable?"

He leaned down and nuzzled her cheek. "I'll do anything to make you more comfortable, Sarah. I won't add to your discomfort, though. You'll feel worse, not better for the activity."

He pulled gently and she released his hand, closing her eyes against the disappointment. He was right, but it didn't make her feel any better. Her eyes opened again when she felt his hands unbuttoning her dress.

"You will be more comfortable without your clothes, Sarah. Besides, I know what you really want and I can give you that without making you more uncomfortable."

He unbuttoned the dress all the way down and then gently lifted her shoulders so he could slip it off her arms. Sliding his hands underneath her, he unfastened her bra and drew that off as well, then lifted her hips and slid her underpants off. He pulled off his shirt and boots, then lay down beside her, against the wall so he faced the door. He pulled her close, sliding one knee between her legs and turned her so her bare torso was pressed against his. He pulled her dress out from under her and threw it to the floor as she twined her legs around his and wrapped her arms around him. His nose brushed over her cheek once, twice, a third time.

"Mine," he whispered softly. Her body shivered in response. "Mine," he said again, Marking her again.

Her eyes closed and she began to relax. He was right, this was what she needed. His touch. Flesh against flesh. His claim on her, no less now that she was changing. She was his and he was hers. They belonged to each other.

"Sleep, Sarah," he whispered softly, settling her closer to him. "I will protect you."

She sighed against his chest. She was safe again. Bad things seemed to happen whenever she was away from him, but never when she was with him.

"We won't be apart again?" she whispered.

She could feel the movement as he shook his head. "Not unless you wish it, Sarah."

"Never again, then," she whispered, giving in to the urge to sleep. She was safe again.

Her sleep was restless and she had strange dreams. She could feel Lewis wrapped around her, though. Even in her unconscious state, she knew he was with her. She came back to consciousness slowly as his hand moved over her forehead, then dropped behind her ear. She shivered.

"I'm cold," she complained.

"You have a fever, Sarah."

She whimpered as the warmth of his body pulled away from her, curling up on her side, trying to get warm again. She heard the door open.

"She has a fever," Lewis said.

"Give her an alcohol bath, then cover her with a blanket and let her sweat it out. Clean sheets and blankets are in the cabinets along the walls. Do you need any help with her?"

"No, but stay there in case I have any questions."

The door shut and she heard movement, then Lewis' weight settled on the bed. Something cold touched her and she whimpered again.

"It's all right, Sarah. This will help."

She sighed, letting him manipulate her, open her body from the fetal position and spread her limbs. The cold moved over her body, under her breasts and arms, between her legs. She opened her eyes and looked at him, feeling a strange, dizzy desire in her. He smiled down at her.

"You do pick the oddest times for your urges, Sarah."

She laughed softly, then shivered again. He moved away and returned to wrap her in a blanket.

"Is that better?"

She nodded as his hand stroked her hair.

"Try to sleep again, Sarah. Let the fever break."

She nodded and closed her eyes obediently.

She woke slowly, languidly, a bit too warm. When she opened her eyes, she lay still for several minutes, just looking up at the ceiling. Lewis lay beside her, but he wasn't wrapped around her anymore. From the color of the light, it was probably morning.

She turned her head and looked around, studying the room. The bed was short and flat, more a double-sized cot then a real bed. More convenient, she supposed, for dealing with a sick person. There were cabinets along the walls. She remembered Christopher saying they contained sheets and blankets. Her suitcase was in the corner and she wondered idly what they had packed for her. There was also a chest of drawers and a refrigerator. Looking at the fridge made her thirsty, so she pushed the blanket aside and sat up. Lewis' hand was immediately on her shoulder.

"What do you need, Sarah?"

"Something to drink."

He got out of bed and went to the refrigerator. "Juice or soda?"

"Water."

He nodded and pulled out a bottle of water, opening it as he walked back to her. She took it and tipped her head back slowly, letting the fluid slide down her throat.

"Are you still dizzy?" he asked.

"A little."

"How about a warm bath, then?"

She smiled weakly. "Will you always give me baths when I'm sick?"

His hand caressed her cheek, then he went into the bathroom and she heard the water began to splatter into the tub. She smiled again, remembering the last time he'd taken care of her like this. Actually, he was always doing things like this for her, even when she wasn't sick. At first, she'd tried to believe it was because he was thoughtful and considerate, but that just didn't ring true. She'd finally realized it was part of his need to control everything. He controlled her by taking care of her. Not that she minded. Being waited on was quite pleasant, regardless of the reason.

She sipped her water, one hand on the bed, supporting her. He came back and picked her up, carrying her like he always did. He set her gently in the tub, then pulled a stool over and sat beside her. He gave her an arch look and picked up a washcloth, wetting it, then rolling the soap in his hands. She smiled slowly in anticipation.

"You are feeling better, aren't you, Sarah?" he asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

She nodded. He smiled at her and she leaned back against the cold porcelain that warmed slowly as the water rose. She closed her eyes as his hand, covered with terry cloth, began to roam over her body. A sigh of pleasure escaped her as he followed the curve of her breasts, then moved up, around her shoulder and back down again to roll a hard nipple in his fingers through the cloth.

He leaned closer and kissed her as his hand dipped lower, slowly trailing over her belly, then jumping to her knees to drift up her thighs. She spread her legs, inviting him to dare more. His mouth moved on hers, his lips tasting and tantalizing as his hand accepted the invitation and slid inward.

She gasped when the first touch came. He'd discarded the washcloth and his strong, solid fingers, moved naked over her flesh. She lifted the leg farthest from him over the edge of the tub, then sank down into the water, letting her hips drift up.

His fingers moved on her, barely touching the sensitive flesh above the opening of her sex. She inhaled slowly, a hiss of pleasure as his fingers entered her, his thumb pressing on her clitoris. Her hands grasped the hard curve of the bathtub as the pleasure built to a driving need. He leaned close, kissing her again, then whispered her name as his hand brought her to climax.

Christopher was embarrassed by the sensations he felt from inside the bedroom. Embarrassed and, he had to admit, aroused. Sarah Hillar was an amazingly passionate female. Of course, anyone would respond to Lewis. He had no doubt that he, himself, would submit despite a strongly heterosexual inclination. And he would probably enjoy himself as much as she was now.

Her emotions were strong and easy to read. Lewis, on the other hand, was a closed book. He gave nothing of himself. There was no part of him that could be felt or studied. Even when Christopher had seen that Lewis was angry with his eyes, he still hadn't felt anything from him. The level of control was amazing.

Christopher started suddenly as the door opened. He scrambled to his feet and looked up.

"Can she be moved?" Lewis demanded.

"Once the dizziness and nausea have passed there may be a period of several days when she could travel. It depends on how quickly her body begins to change."

"What's the norm?"

"Between a week and a month. It averages to seventeen days."

Lewis considered that for a moment. "What symptoms can I expect?"

Christopher related the same information he'd given to Sarah Hillar, trying to be as precise and detailed as possible. Lewis listened carefully without interrupting.

"There are two other people in this building." Lewis stated when Christopher finished.

"They're the ones who brought Ms. Hillar here."

Lewis' eyes narrowed. "She didn't ask for their lives." Lewis cocked his head to the side, studying Christopher. "Perhaps I should have you dispose of them," Lewis suggested casually.

Christopher's eyes widened. He'd never killed before. Certainly, he'd never killed one of his own kind.

The barest smile crossed Lewis' face. "The change was complete, I assume. Or are you still partly human?"

The word was said derisively and Christopher drew himself up. "I'm a Dominant, like you. I am no longer human."

The smile widened slightly. "Then dispose of them."

Lewis turned and walked back into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. Christopher stared at the door, stunned. He knew this was his punishment for volunteering to change Lewis' mate. Lewis couldn't kill him yet, possibly never could, but he would make Christopher pay.

He swallowed hard. He couldn't disobey that order. Even though Lewis wouldn't kill him until Sarah Hillar allowed it, there were many things Lewis could still do to him. Ordering him to kill Samuel and Anne was a mild punishment as punishments went. Christopher turned down the hall, wondering whether they'd fight him. There was no way he could overcome them. They were both trained operatives and he was only a doctor.

He went to the munitions closet and picked up a gun. He knew the basics, how to load and fire it, but that was all. He looked down at the gun, remembering his Hippocratic oath. Do no harm. He'd ignored that oath whenever convenient since he became one of them. He couldn't honestly say that the oath he'd taken as a human had any bearing on him now.

He walked through the house until he reached the room where Anne and Samuel were sitting. They looked up, curious, obviously reading something odd in his emotional state. He'd never learned to control as they had. Samuel looked at the gun in his hand, then over at Anne.

"Lewis ordered me to dispose of you," Christopher said. His voice shook a little.

Anne looked at Christopher. "Interesting choice. But then, Lewis is known for making unusual decisions."

Anne and Samuel looked at each and stood up.

"It would be better if you did this outside," Samuel said. "Less of a mess to clean up."

Christopher swallowed. Apparently they were willing to accept their fate. Of course, they'd volunteered for this operation, just as he had. They knew Lewis' value.

The two of them walked outside into the morning sunlight and Christopher followed slowly. His hand was shaking. Somehow, their casual acceptance made this harder. He wondered if Lewis had known it would be like this. He wouldn't be surprised.

Samuel and Anne stopped walking beside a large hole. Christopher looked at it in surprise. He didn't remember it being there yesterday.

"Samuel dug it this morning so Lewis wouldn't have to take time away from caring for his mate," Anne said. "Be certain to burn the bodies so there's nothing left for the humans to find."

Christopher stared at her, amazed by how calm she was. He wasn't certain that he would go so willingly. Perhaps he was still more human then he cared to admit. The two of them stood looking at him, waiting. He looked down at the gun in his hand, then back at them.

"I would offer to do it, but Lewis ordered you to," Samuel said with a slight smile, projecting disdain.

Christopher felt the Dominant in him rise, remembering the order he'd received and the derision Lewis had expressed toward him. He raised the gun and took aim, then fired. He aimed again and fired. He stood looking down at the bodies and realized the price Lewis had demanded for his life. Like Sarah Hillar, Christopher would never be the same again.

Sarah was lying quietly in Lewis' arms. After her bath, she'd asked if they could go home. Lewis spoke to Christopher, then told her that it probably wouldn't be a good idea. They had no idea how long they had before the next wave of the change passed over her. Like the ocean, they had no idea what the change would bring with it. They had to stay where they were and wait.

She needed to cry and he let her, holding her gently and stroking her hair. She didn't want to cry in front of him, though. She knew it hurt him. He was angry and frustrated. He blamed himself for not protecting her. She didn't blame him, though. How could he have known that his own people would betray him like this? From all he and Christopher said it was practically inconceivable. Yet someone had conceived it. She sighed and he pressed her closer.

"I should probably get up," she murmured.

"Why?" he asked quietly, kissing her forehead.

She shrugged. "I don't know. It just seems like I should."

She felt his chest move as he chuckled. "Protestant work ethic."

She giggled. "Probably."

A gun shot rang out suddenly. Sarah jumped and tried to sit up as another followed the first, but Lewis held her against him.

"It's all right, Sarah."

"What was that?" She tilted her head so she could look into his eyes.

"I ordered Christopher to dispose of the two who brought you here."

She stared at him, not comprehending what he'd just said. "You ordered... Christopher?" She looked over at the door. "...and he did it?"

"Of course he did." Lewis' voice was hard. "He wouldn't dare disobey me."

Sarah pushed against his chest and this time he let her sit up, his hands resting lightly on her arms. She stared at him, struck again by how different they were. Different now, she realized. Maybe not tomorrow. She stood up and moved away from him, hugged herself against the shivering.

"Won't you let me do that?" Lewis asked softly.

She looked back at him and he nodded, indicating her arms wrapped around herself. She stared at him, blinking back tears. She wanted to run to him, but she also wanted to hold on to her humanity for as long as she could. He looked at her silently as the tears escaped and drifted down her cheeks.

Standing up, he walked past her to the refrigerator. "You should have more fluids," he said matter-of-factly. "Christopher said you'd need them. Do you want soda, juice or water?"

He looked over his shoulder at her when she didn't answer. She closed her eyes against the hardness in his beautiful eyes.

"Lewis," she whispered.

She felt his warmth beside her before his hands came to rest gently on her shoulders. She slowly lowered her head until it rested on his chest. His hands tightened, but he didn't move otherwise.

"I don't want to be different," she whispered softly.

His arms wrapped around her, pulling her close. "I don't want you to be different, Sarah. We have no choice, though."

She nodded against his shoulder, then sighed, pulling away. "What were my beverage options again?"

Christopher was sitting in the living room when Lewis came downstairs.

"She's asleep again," he said. "She had some fluids, but she says she isn't hungry."

Christopher nodded, answering the unspoken question. "That's fairly normal for the first day. She'll be hungry tomorrow - ravenous, probably. Once she starts to eat, she'll consume a great deal of food to fuel the process of the change. She'll also sleep more than normal. Don't be concerned."

Lewis moved closer and stood over Christopher. "I am concerned," he said forcefully. "This was done without my consent. If she is damaged in any way by this process..."

He trailed off and Christopher wondered whether Lewis, himself, knew what he would do if Sarah was harmed. Lewis took a deep breath and spoke in a more normal tone.

"Do you have plenty food here? Fresh fruits and vegetables?"

Christopher nodded. "We assumed that you'd be here alone taking care of her. We stocked the kitchen so you wouldn't need to fetch supplies for at least a week."

"There's a vehicle here?"

"Yes."

"Then you'll make certain she has a fresh supply of whatever she asks for."

Christopher nodded again. Lewis' eyes swept the room.

"What did you do with the bodies?" he asked in a silky voice.

"I burned them."

Lewis looked back at him, the barest hint of respect in his eyes. "Excellent. I see you learned something at least."

Christopher lowered his eyes, not telling him that burning the bodies was Anne's idea. Lewis stepped closer and Christopher shivered.

"Sarah wishes you to live for now." Lewis' voice was a seductive whisper. "Don't presume on that leniency or you'll regret it."

Christopher projected submission and glanced up, out of the corner of his eye. Lewis bared his teeth. Christopher started as Lewis' finger drifted across his jaw.

"You would make an interesting toy, Doctor."

Lewis turned and walked back upstairs, leaving Christopher trembling with both fear and desire. He suddenly wondered whether Anne and Samuel were better off than himself. They, at least, were safe from Lewis.

Sarah started awake suddenly.

"What's wrong?" Lewis murmured in her ear.

He was curled around her back again, his favorite way to sleep, with her in his arms, tucked into the angles of his body, his cheek resting against hers.

"I don't know," she panted.

She felt restless, strange. She pulled away from him and stood up, then strode around the room like a caged animal. Lewis stood beside the bed watching her. She felt like she would fly apart if she didn't do something. She wanted to run until she dropped. She wanted to scream. She wanted...

She stopped, staring at Lewis. She wanted her mate. She wanted to feel him, to touch him, to have him drive himself inside her. She took a slow step, then another, then walked swiftly to him and took his face between her hands, drawing it down to her and kissing him fiercely. She pulled back, running her hands down his strong arms and over his chest, then leaned in and began to lick and kiss the hard muscles.

"Sarah..." he said in a mild tone.

She nipped him to keep him quiet, slanting a look up at him. She didn't need him to speak, only to act. Her hands moved down, between his legs and she cupped him through his jeans, then rubbed her hand up the hardening length of him. She pressed herself against him, running her hands around and cupping his buttocks, holding him to her as she raised herself on her toes to claim his mouth again. His hands moved to her hips, his grip tightening as he began to respond to her demands. He was her mate and she wanted him to service her. Now.

His mouth left hers and traveled down her neck. She growled in triumph as she felt his urgency growing, matching hers. Her hands moved over his back, her fingers curling as they dug into his flesh. She didn't hurt him, but she let him feel her need.

He growled and grabbed her upper arms, holding her still. She smiled slowly and nipped at his mouth. He stared at her for a moment, breathing heavily, then turned and threw her onto the bed. She landed easily, rolling into a supple ball and watched him as he quickly removed his jeans, then moved toward her.

She spread her legs, pulling him down to her, drawing her knees up and wrapping her legs around his waist. He was about to thrust into her when she hissed and pushed against him. This wasn't what she wanted, not like this. She pressed him away and flipped over, onto her hands and knees, opening her legs wide and looked over her shoulder at him.

He spread his hands on her hips, pulling her toward him, but he didn't take her. His head lowered and he bit into the flesh of her buttock, not breaking the skin, just marking her. She hissed in pleasure and pressed backwards, offering herself to him. He pulled her up onto her knees and fitted himself against her back, biting her shoulder, her neck. She moved against him as his hands kneaded her breasts, then his arm went around her waist and he jerked once, sharply, to still her.

Her hands went back, caressing his thighs and buttocks, but otherwise, she held herself still, submitting to him. One arm still held her firmly around the waist, while the other rose and his fingers circled her neck, indicating his ownership, his dominance. Her head dropped back on his shoulder exposing her throat and he Marked her, Claiming her.

She hissed an affirmative. This was what she wanted. His teeth bit her neck again, gently, right over the carotid artery and she felt an ache deep in her sex, waiting to be filled by him. His mouth traveled down to the juncture where neck met shoulder and he bit her again, still not breaking the skin.

His hands traveled down, following her body to her hips, fingers spreading wide to span her thighs as they continued downward. He slid his fingers inward and pressed her legs further apart, positioning her the way he wanted her as was his right. She was his to take as he pleased.

His hands traveled back up, one stopping at her waist, the other moving up her back and he pressed her down, bending her double. She acquiesced to his directions, putting her hands on the bed to support herself and arching her back to lift her hips toward him. Her head was back, keeping her throat exposed and he leaned forward, circling it lightly with one hand. She felt the other between their bodies as he grasped his shaft and positioned it at her opening.

She shivered with need, waiting for the first thrust, the first possession. His hands moved to her buttocks, spreading them, then slid down her thighs again and back up to her hips. He grasped her firmly and she knew he was ready. She braced herself and a loud moan escaped her as he thrust into her. He pulled out slowly and thrust again. His fingers flexed on her hips as he took a better hold and pulled out, then thrust in again.

She hissed with pleasure at his slow possession of her. There was nothing but the openness, the submission as he thrust, his shaft going deep and filling her completely. This was the ritual. She'd offered herself to him and he Claimed her, Accepting her as his. His Mate. No other would have her.

She closed her eyes, her fingers gripping the sheets under her as he moved slowly in and out. He paused, fully inside her, then put one arm under her waist, lifting her weight off her legs, the other hand moving to push one thigh further out. She shifted her legs, following his direction, knowing somehow that this was right, it was part of his possession. He wanted her open to him even further.

She felt the stretch in her legs and her sex as he repositioned his hands and pulled out, then thrust again. She gasped at the sensation and he growled. He slowed even more, letting her feel him as he moved in and out of the slickness of her sex. She held herself still, panting as the burning need to feel him pounding into her grew. After several strokes, his hands slid under her, grasping the juncture where her thighs met her hips and he lifted part of her weight again before beginning to thrust powerfully.

She gasped again and he growled his response as he held her suspended, moving her as he wished. A shock of pleasure ran through her and she climaxed, shuddering, her entire body shaking. He stopped moving, waiting till the pleasure ran its course, then set her weight down on her knees and pulled her body up by her waist and throat.

"Mine," he whispered as he Marked her, twisting his hips slightly to let her feel him, still hard inside her.

"Yes," she hissed.

He leaned back and she felt him settle onto his haunches, pulling her with him. She was spread wide, still impaled on him. He shifted, pushing his knees wider and hers with them, then he thrust powerfully.

She remembered suddenly how she'd asked him for this position once, letting him control her, not understanding the meaning at that time. As he thrust harder, lifting her, suspending her again, she knew he was completing the circle, taking her this way again now that she knew the significance. He paused suddenly, leaving her breathless and aching with need. His hand came up, circling her neck and his head moved as he Marked her again.

"Mine," he said harshly.

"Yes," she answered without hesitation.

She felt the muscles of his face move as he smiled. His hand slid down, caressing her breasts and his head moved again, Marking her once more.

"Mine," he whispered in a silky, satisfied voice.

He shifted upwards, catching her around the waist as she fell forward and thrusting into her as she landed on her hands and knees again. She cried out with pleasure, cried out again as he began to pound into her, holding her hips in a crushing grip as he drove them both over the edge into an incredibly powerful climax.

She lay beside him, panting. He was breathing heavily also, curled around her again, holding her close to him.

"What was that?" she gasped out when she could speak.

He chuckled. "Instinct."

"I don't understand."

He nuzzled her possessively. "You offered yourself to me as a female of my kind would." He kissed her cheek. "Don't worry," he said in an amused tone. "I won't hold you to it when the change is complete. Not unless you want me to."

She turned in his arms. "What do you mean?" she demanded.

"I told you before, Sarah, we don't own each other. Your new instincts were simply interacting with your desire to remain mine." His smile was arrogant and confident. "We'll see what you feel when you've changed and there is nothing left but what we are."

Anger surged through her and she straddled him, grasping his wrists. "You're mine," she hissed. "You gave yourself to me. There is no 'we'll see when I've changed'."

He smiled a slow, predatory smile. "Is that how you want it, Sarah?"

He flexed his wrists and she tightened her grasp. Another instinct was rising in her now. She slowly pulled his arms up, over his head. His smile broadened and he allowed her to hold his hands on the bed. She closed her eyes, feeling for the instinct, searching for the right actions. The other had been primal and had as much of Human need in it as Dominant. This was different.

She opened her eyes and looked down at him. He slowly tilted his head back, exposing his throat and she knew. She leaned down, skimming his face, Marking him and setting his scent in her mind. She lowered her head further and bit gently, just over the carotid artery. She'd never known where exactly it was before, but now it was as if there was a string pulling her teeth to it. He growled, tilting his head back further and she felt him begin to harden under her.

Surprise passed through her that he could be ready again so soon, but instinct provided the answer. Her teeth traveled down his throat to his shoulder and she bit the curves there. She remembered how she'd done that so many times before without understanding what she was doing and the effect it had always had on him.

Her arms weren't long enough to hold his down, but he didn't try to move. It was ritual. She traveled his shoulders and chest, biting hard enough for him to feel, but never breaking the skin. His hips moved under her and she knew he was ready for her to take possession. The instinct held her, though, she knew that he must wait, as she had, until the one who was Claiming was ready.

She moved, sliding her sex over his, letting him feel the wetness and heat of her. His breathing was faster now, harder. She leaned down again, letting him feel her teeth on his exposed throat. He was giving himself to her and she took him for her own. Her Mate. No other would have him.

She growled again and raised herself, lifting his shaft to her opening, then sank down on him. She pressed down, feeling him enclosed within her and tensed her muscles around him, enveloping him tightly. He gasped once and his hips moved involuntarily. She rocked, riding him as his instinct to move began to claim him. She pressed down, then pulled up and pressed down again, breaking his rhythm. It was her rhythm they would move to now.

She leaned down and Marked him again. "Mine," she whispered.

"Yes." It was the barest whisper.

It wasn't enough. She wanted more. She pulled away from him and he hissed as she let him slide out of her. She pressed her hands to his chest holding him flat, then shoved his chin up with her head and set her teeth on his throat again. He stilled, tensing and his breath came harder.

She slid down his body till she reached his sex and lifted it, taking the tip into her mouth. He gasped and reared up. She trailed her mouth down his erection, nipping the hard shaft, caressing it with her tongue, tantalizing him. She glanced up and saw his fists were clenched into the sheets, his head thrown back further. With a final bite, she slid up, letting him feel her sex on him again as she placed her hands on his arms and leaned down, Marking him again.

"Mine," she said firmly.

"Yes," he said, still quiet but louder.

She smiled and pulled him up to a sitting position. He looked at her surprised. She leaned in and tilted his head back, exposing his throat, then moved her mouth to his ear.

"On your knees," she said.

His body tensed and she pulled away, giving him the space to position himself where she wanted him. She moved close, on her knees above him, then pushed his arms back behind him and leaned his weight onto them. When he was leaning back, exposed to her, she grasped his erection. He watched as she slowly mounted him, then wrapped her arms around his shoulders, skimming his neck with her mouth and teeth.

Her hips moved as she pulled up slowly, then thrust down. She nipped his neck and he gasped, thrusting deeper into her. She arched her back, pressing down to meet his thrust, tightening her internal muscles again, enclosing him deeply within her. She rocked with his motion, controlling the pace with the pulsing inside her. She leaned into his neck again and his head dropped back.

"Mine," she said, Marking him.

"Yes," he growled.

The word drew a gasp from her and she moved harder, taking him deep and grasping him inside her. He moved faster, thrusting with more power and she rode him, her hips undulating as she matched him stroke for stroke.

"Now, Lewis," she whispered insistently. "Now."

He moaned and thrust once more, then let himself go. She laughed and twisted her hips, driving herself over the edge with him.

As the shuddering faded, his arms came up and his hand tangled in her hair, pulling her head back. As before, the moment had passed and he took back the Alpha position. Still, she had what she wanted from him. She smiled and her eyelids drooped. He bared his teeth and skimmed her throat and face, then lifted her off him, turning her so he could curl around her again.

"Mine," she whispered, pulling his arms tighter.

"Yes," he agreed. "And you're mine. As we've established."

She giggled. "Do you mind?" she asked.

He chuckled. "No. It was inevitable, I suppose."

"Since when?"

He was silent for a moment. "From the first, Sarah. It was inevitable that you and I would Claim each other. The universe ordained it."

She looked at him over her shoulder, surprised and amused. "Theology, Lewis? From you?"

He kissed her nose. "Practicality. How else could I have ever allowed myself to be Claimed by a Human?"

She laughed and snuggled down into his arms. "I gave myself to you," she pointed out.

"That's less surprising," he said arrogantly.

She laughed again. He was what he was and she certainly didn't want him any other way. Especially now that he was completely hers.

He kissed her cheek. "Are you hungry?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yes, and this time I want *food*."

He laughed loudly. "I'll see what I can do."

He started to crawl over her, but she turned and pulled him down to her. She ran her fingers through his hair, then slowly caressed his cheek, lifting her lips to press a kiss onto his mouth. He settled down against her, molding his mouth over hers and kissed her deeply. After a long moment, he drew his head back. She sighed happily.

"Now can I get out of bed?" he asked softly.

"I think so. I'll let you know when I want you back."

"I don't doubt that." He smiled and nuzzled her cheek, then rolled off her and went into the bathroom. He took a quick shower while she lay in bed, totally relaxed. When he finished, he drew on his jeans.

He stopped at the door. "Are you going to wait here?"

"I haven't decided yet."

He smiled. "If you decide to come down to the kitchen, call me from the top of the stairs. I don't want you to get dizzy on the way down."

She nodded. "Anything you say."

His smile broadened. "As it should be."

She giggled as he left the room, trying to decide whether she felt like moving. The restlessness had played out with the instinct. She wondered what other instincts would wake in her. How would she change over the next few days? Her contentment fled as she thought about her family, wondering if she'd still care about them when this was over.

Would it still bother her that Lewis was trying to destroy her species? Except, they wouldn't be her species any more. Would the safety of the Human race continue to matter to her? It mattered to Tom and he was a Dominant, born and bred. It didn't seem to matter to Christopher, though, and he had started out Human.

She curled up on her side, trying to sort everything out. How much was instinct and how much was personal choice? She didn't know. She couldn't know until she'd completed the change, and, by then, it might not matter to her anymore. She sighed. Ever since she'd met Lewis, she'd been bending with the wind that he brought with him. Would her life ever be her own to control again? Did she even want it to be if it meant losing Lewis?

Standing, she reached upwards, stretching the kinks out of her arms and legs. She ran her hands down her body, feeling the muscle under soft curves. How much of this would change? Internally, she would be different. It suddenly occurred to her that she and Lewis would have to start taking precautions unless they wanted to have children. Once they were the same species, they couldn't just jump into bed anytime they wanted to without worrying about the consequences. Maybe she should ask him about that.

She took a shower, washing off all the perspiration and the sticky, wonderful mess between her thighs. The water felt marvelous and her skin tingled. Was that just from the afternoon's energetic activities or because of the change? She laughed at the irony as she realized that until this was finished, she'd attribute absolutely every strange feeling or sensation to the change she was going through.

When she finished her shower, she dug through the suitcase and was pleased to find several light dresses. She pulled on some underpants and slipped one of the dresses over her head, then unpacked the suitcase into the chest of drawers. There were other clothes in the drawers. Looking carefully, she saw that the women's clothes were her size and the men's were Lewis'.

She shook her head. They certainly had done everything they could to make her and Lewis comfortable while this was going on. She paused, wondering if they felt a need to try to placate Lewis. She wondered what it would be like to feel the kind of instinctive anger he did about the actions of others. She didn't feel anger very often; it frightened her. That was something else that would probably change.

She looked around the room and her eyes fell on the rumpled sheets. With a smile, she stripped the bed and made it up again with some fresh linens from the cupboards. The action reminded her of Julia, who'd made the bed for Sarah and Lewis those very first days. Sarah thought about the fear that had been in Julia's eyes when she'd kidnapped Sarah. Would Lewis kill Julia? Maybe he already had.

The thought made her sit down for a moment on the clean sheets. Lewis had ordered the death of two people already. How did she feel about that? She searched inside herself and found nothing. Perhaps the deaths were too abstract. Perhaps she hadn't known them well enough; she'd only seen them for a few moments before they'd drugged her into unconsciousness. She didn't find pleasure at the thought of their deaths which made her feel a little better. Still, it seemed like she should feel something.

She shook her head. Worrying wasn't going go change anything. She left the bedroom, leaving the dirty sheets in a pile outside the door, and was halfway down the stairs before she remembered that she was supposed to call Lewis. She giggled and went down slowly, peeking around the corner. She moved carefully, wondering if she could sneak up on him.

"Sarah."

She threw up her hands with an exasperated sigh and turned around to look at him. He had his hands on his hips and his expression was one of irritation.

"I forgot," she said, putting her hands on her hips and pretending to grump right back at him.

His lips twitched, but he didn't smile. She giggled. His lips twitched again and he walked over to her, then leaned down and threw her over his shoulder. She laughed, kicking her feet as he carried her into the kitchen and set her on the counter. He put his hands on either side of her and leaned in.

"Stay there."

"Yes, Sir!" She saluted.

A tiny grin played over his lips and he kissed her quickly, but thoroughly before turning away. She grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"Do you remember the first time you put me on a kitchen counter?"

"I thought you were hungry."

"I am," she said, wrapping her arms and legs around him.

"For food," he said shortly.

"I am," she said, pulling him close so she could kiss the strong column of his neck.

He pulled away and tilted his head so he could capture her lips with his own. He kissed her, thrusting his tongue deep into her mouth and pressing his body against hers. When he broke the kiss, she was breathless.

"Now, behave yourself," he murmured, unwrapping her arms and legs from around his shoulders and waist.

"Do you really want me to?" she asked impishly, swinging her feet.

He gave her an arch look, but didn't respond. She leaned back on her arms and watched him cook. This was familiar, they'd done it a hundred times. He cooked, she watched. It was almost a ritual. Maybe it was and she'd understand it later. She sighed. Everything came back to later, it seemed.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

She nodded. "Just thinking."

"About...?"

She shrugged. "A lot of things. For example, what do your people do about birth control?"

His hand paused for a moment, then resumed its chopping. "Not much, actually. We're trying to build the population base, not control it. Our females want to bear young."

"So, I'll probably want to have babies when I've changed?"

"Perhaps. Our bearing years start earlier."

"I know," she said in disgust. "Nine years old. Ick." She shuddered.

A slight smile quirked his lips. "It wasn't our idea, Sarah. Nature planned it. Besides, humans have been moving in that direction for quite a while also. Your children are having children as well."

"So, am I past bearing age?"

He gave her an amused look. "Hardly."

"That is why I haven't gotten pregnant by you, isn't it? Different species?"

He nodded. "You could carry one of our fetuses to term, but you can't conceive by me."

"But that's true of any species. A womb is a womb is a womb."

He nodded again.

She studied him as he chopped. "Do you want to have children, Lewis?"

"I have several already."

Her legs stopped swinging and she stared at him. He gave her another amused look.

"I told you, we're trying to build our population base. A number of females considered it an honor to mix their genes with mine." He shrugged. "I agreed for the enhancement of the species."

She couldn't help but laugh as she hopped off the counter and walked over to him. "Could you *be* more arrogant if you tried?" she asked, running her hand down his back.

He glanced at her, hardness and amusement mixed in his eyes. "I know my own worth, Sarah."

"We'll come back to that later. For now, I have one question." She paused and waited until he looked at her. "How old is your youngest child?"

He smiled. "Three."

She smiled back, knowing the child was conceived long before he met her. She slipped between him and the counter, sliding her arms around his waist. "There won't be any more, you know. Not unless I decide to produce them."

He stopped her before she could Mark him, grasping her arms and looking intently into her eyes. "Do you want to?"

She had to think about it for a second. "I don't know, Lewis. I never really worried about it before you, then..." She shrugged. "Well, choosing you pretty much excluded that possibility."

His hands moved, caressing her arms and he leaned close, resting his forehead against hers. "Do you want children?"

"I really don't know. They're an awful lot of work. Do you want me to have your children?"

His hands stilled and he took a slow, deep breath. "Any male would want you to bear his children, Sarah."

She shivered at that quiet statement. It spoke of primal, territorial urges that made her blood run hot.

"On the other hand," he continued. "I don't want to share you with anyone, not even a child."

She smiled and touched his cheek. "I feel pretty much the same way about you."

He pulled back and looked down at her. "Then we'll wait and see where your instincts take you."

She nodded. "What about birth control? If your people don't use it..."

He shook his head. "We don't need artificial methods. You'll know when you're fertile. So will I."

"How?"

"Can't you feel it now, in yourself, when you're ready to conceive?"

She thought about it. "Sometimes, it seems like I can. There are differences in the sexual urges I feel, differences in the texture of the secretions."

He nodded. "And a vast difference in the scent."

Her eyebrows raised. "So you can always tell?"

He nodded again. "And, I'll be able to when you've changed. Even more so, since the pheromones will be correct for me."

"So, if we don't want children, we just abstain for a few days."

He smiled slowly. "We don't have to entirely abstain. There are many paths to pleasure."

She shivered and wrapped her arms around him. "I've always been amazed at your sex drive, Lewis. Are all the males of your species so driven?"

His arms tightened around her. "Were you considering trying another?" he asked in a silky voice.

She giggled. "What do you think?"

He relaxed and she made a mental note to be more careful with her casual statements. He'd always been the jealous type, but she had a feeling it was going to get a lot worse after she'd changed.

"We're stronger then humans," he said. "We have more stamina..."

"I'll say," she murmured.

He laughed softly. "We do have more sexual urges than humans, as well. It's because there are so few of us. Nature compensates."

"So Tom is probably keeping Sloan pretty busy now that they've finally... gotten on with it."

He drew back and she realized she'd made him jealous again.

"I don't want you thinking about Tom," he murmured, leaning down to kiss her.

It was a gentle, but somehow, very possessive kiss. She closed her eyes and enjoyed it, pressing closer to him. When he finished, she was breathless again.

"Tom, who?" she whispered huskily.

He smiled and kissed her again as a reward. She was beginning to wonder whether they should move this back upstairs, when her stomach let out a huge growl. She broke up in giggles.

"Sorry. I guess my body wants food more than my mind wants you right now."

He gave her a strange look, then pushed her gently out of the way and resumed chopping. "I think I need to spend some serious time with you later," he said.

"Why?" she said, grabbing an apple and taking a big bite. "I know," she said in response to another odd look from him. "I'll spoil my dinner, but I'm really hungry."

"You haven't eaten in nearly forty-eight hours, Sarah," he said mildly.

She stopped chewing and stared at him, trying to count back in her head. "Two days?" she said in a disbelieving tone.

He nodded and she tried to readjust her thinking. It did count up that way when she really thought about it. She just hadn't been hungry until now.

"I hope you're making a lot of food, then," she said mischievously. "What are we having?"

"Stir fry. Vegetables, chicken and shrimp over rice."

"Sounds yummy." She raised up on her toes, trying to slide her butt up on the counter beside where he was working, but she wasn't tall enough. His hands suddenly went around her waist and lifted her. She smiled at him and took another bite of apple.

"So why do you think you need to spend some serious time with me? Not that I'm objecting, you understand."

He gave her a look that was part amused, part disgusted. "Your *mind* wants me?" He shook his head. "I must be losing my touch," he muttered theatrically.

She burst out laughing. She'd never seen him act like this before. He gave her an arch look, then ran his eyes down her body suggestively. The look made her nipples pop out and a deep ache started between her thighs.

"Or not," he murmured in a silky tone.

"So you're saying you only love me for my body?" she whispered in a husky voice.

His hand stopped moving again and she replayed the question in her head. She cringed internally, realizing she'd said the L word. She looked away, groping for something light and comical to say to defuse the moment. All she could come up with was the standard second half of the cliché.

"And here I thought it was my mind, all along," she said softly.

"Hardly," Lewis said in a firm voice.

A little knot was forming in her stomach. She wasn't sure what to say or do now. Given her situation, she decided she had nothing to lose, so she asked the question. "Do you love me, Lewis?"

He didn't answer as he moved to the stove and poured some oil in the wok. He tilted it so the oil covered the bottom, adjusting the flame a tiny bit lower. Then he walked back over to her and pressed her legs apart, pulling her to the edge of the counter so they were body to body. His eyes looked deeply into hers.

"You're mine, Sarah. Love is irrelevant. We don't use the word, don't feel it as humans do. If I were human, I would love you, but I'm not. You'll understand what I'm saying when the change is complete. For now, though, don't make the mistake of thinking that the word makes a difference. You're mine. I'll prove it to you after dinner."

Her body shivered with desire at his words, but her mind struggled to put them into some framework that made sense to her.

"But, don't you feel..." she began.

"You're mine," he interrupted her. His arms curled around her back, holding her so close that they were nose to nose. "How do you feel when you Claim me?" His voice was a husky whisper, bringing up the memory of her fierce possession of him the night he came back to her after being gone for three months. He studied her, obviously experiencing her feelings empathically, then nodded.

"It's the same." He leaned in and Marked her softly. "If that's love to you, then it's the same."

She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly, trying to decide if that really was love to her. She remembered the way she'd felt those last times they'd been together, her need for slow intimacy and soft touches. She called up that aching tenderness she felt for him and let it pulse through her.

"Is that the same?" she whispered.

"I have felt that," he answered. "Not as often as I feel it in you, but it has been in me."

A broken sob escaped her. "You do love me, then."

"Is that love to you?" he asked curiously.

She nodded against his shoulder.

"Interesting," he said.

The oil popped and he drew back with a soft glance, then returned to his cooking. A soundless chuckle escaped her. He never stopped surprising her. He could have such an intimate conversation, admit he loved her, call it 'interesting', then just go back to his stir fry. She shook her head. At least she'd found out while it still mattered to her. In his own way, he did love her. It made her feel better, somehow.

Christopher crept out of the room where he'd hidden himself when Lewis came downstairs. He could feel Sarah Hillar and Lewis in the kitchen. Lewis was more open than before. He was also focused completely on his mate.

Christopher slowly moved around to where he could see them in the kitchen. He'd felt them earlier, up in the bedroom. Embarrassment had quickly faded to arousal and desire as he realized what they were doing. He'd never experienced the emanations of a truly mated couple before. The sensations he received from them were exquisite. Each had yielded their full passion to the other, completely submitting their sexuality to their mate. Christopher had never wanted anyone so much. The problem was, he didn't know which of them he wanted - Lewis or Sarah.

Sarah's submission was amazing. It made him want to cover her with his body, drive into her and possess her, controlling her absolutely. Lewis' dominance had shaken him, though. The feel of Lewis' total control, his sovereign strength had made Christopher want to submit totally and be mastered by Lewis. The two conflicting desires left him trembling.

He watched them together from the shadows, hoping Lewis wouldn't feel his presence. Sarah was laughing and lovely, flirtatious and seductive. Lewis was tender and possessive. They touched and kissed fondly.

He remembered vaguely what it felt like to love, but he no longer had that emotion within him. He could feel it in Sarah and the response in Lewis. Not love, precisely, not as a human would understand it, but a hunger, a need that ached to be filled. Perhaps that was why so few of their people were mated. That need was undeniable, impossible to ignore. It could not be satiated, but must be fed continuously. That was why the leaders had not simply killed Sarah Hillar.

Lewis had begun to exhibit all the symptoms of one who had Claimed and been Accepted. Even though she was Human, Lewis' need for Sarah was real. Like wolves, when their people truly mated, it was for life. Had Lewis' mate been killed by his own kind, he would have run mad, taking a horrible revenge until he burned himself out. As it was, they risked a considered reprisal from him for taking this action. It was a calculated risk, though, and one the leaders had decided was worth the potential costs. Lewis was worth the price.

Christopher narrowed his eyes, studying the two in the kitchen. They traveled through an odd array of emotions during their conversation. Sarah projected joy, embarrassment, despair, need and love. Lewis responded and Christopher could feel the strength of his emotions even through his shields.

Christopher wondered whether that was what it was always like with humans. He'd been with his own kind so long, he'd forgotten. Maybe they always went through such an array of emotions during the course of a normal day. It must be exhausting.

Why couldn't he remember those feelings? Perhaps he didn't really want to. He liked being one of the Dominants. It was better than being Human. He liked the power he had physically now. He liked knowing more about what people thought and felt. He liked the instincts that told him he was superior, that his species would prevail. Among the Dominants, there was freedom to be everything you were capable of being. They didn't hold back or allow themselves to be controlled. Christopher wasn't used to being controlled anymore, not the way Lewis was controlling him now.

He watched Lewis and Sarah, studying them. He wanted that, wanted what they had. He swallowed hard, trying to experience everything they were feeling.

Lewis finished cooking and took Sarah outside, onto the patio. He opened a bottle of wine and poured a glass for each of them, then served the food. Sarah ate as Christopher had predicted she would - ravenously. Lewis had made a huge amount of food, but between them, they finished it all, and the bottle of wine.

When they were done, Lewis reached out, taking Sarah's hand in his and drawing it to his lips. He glanced down toward the swimming pool and said something. Christopher could feel Sarah's interest, tinged with embarrassment. Lewis laughed and stood, drawing her up with him. They headed slowly down to the pool area and Christopher crept around to a window, trying to see them. They sat for a time, lying together on one of the deck chairs, talking. Eventually, they began to kiss and touch. The angle wasn't very good and the light was fading, but Christopher could still see them as Lewis began to remove Sarah's clothing.

His jaw tightened as he realized that Lewis intended to have his mate there, under the sky, out in the open. Lewis knew Christopher was in the house, knew he would sense everything, might even know he was watching them. Obviously, Lewis considered Christopher to be completely unimportant. He watched, his anger at the implied insult growing along with his desire as Lewis claimed his mate.

"That was wonderful, Lewis." Sarah smiled, pushing her plate away. "I feel so much better."

Lewis reached out, taking Sarah's hand in his and drawing it to his lips. He glanced down toward the swimming pool.

"How about a stroll while our food settles?"

"Just a stroll?" Sarah asked.

A tiny smile graced his lips. "There is always the possibility of more," he murmured.

Sarah smiled and glanced at the house with a blush.

"He wouldn't dare disturb us, Sarah."

"Would anyone who knows you dare such a thing?"

Lewis laughed and stood, drawing her up with him. They walked slowly down toward the pool, talking about nothing. Light topics were the order of the hour. Lewis sat down on one of the overstuffed lounge chairs, making space for her to curl up beside him. They talked some more, drifting from topic to topic, mostly just touching each other and enjoying the moment. A discussion of classic movies led to a discussion of classic movie stars.

"What movie star from that time period interests you?" Lewis asked.

She knew the question was more than casual. He'd asked it before and she always suppressed a giggle, thinking it was a good thing all those men were dead. If she suggested that she found a man who was alive attractive, Lewis might hunt him down and kill him. He quirked an amused eyebrow at her. It was a standing joke between them that she'd never told him what was funny to her about the question. She'd never told him because she was afraid he might confirm her suspicion.

It wasn't until the third or fourth time that she began to understand why he always asked that question. She realized he was trying to learn more about what attracted her, what she wanted from a mate. It was strange, a bit alien, something she couldn't imagine a human male would bother doing. He wanted to know what drove her passions, then he played to it. It was almost a game. She thought about it, seeking someone new.

"Orson Welles, when he made Jane Eyre." As she said it, she realized why she'd always liked him in that role. He had a dark intensity, similar, in some ways, to Lewis'. She shivered, thinking of the ruthlessness Rochester had displayed to everyone except Jane. A lot like Lewis.

Lewis smiled slowly. "An interesting choice. I've always thought he could have been one of us." He looked down into her eyes then spoke again, softly.

"I sometimes have a queer feeling with regard to you," he quoted, "especially when you are near me, as now: it is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame. And if that boisterous channel, and two hundred miles or so of land come broad between us, I am afraid that cord of communion will be snapt; and then I've a nervous notion I should take to bleeding inwardly." His eyes darkened and he looked at her intently. "As for you," he continued even softer, "you'd forget me."

Her breath caught at the words and she felt tears come into her eyes. She pressed a finger to his lips, stopping him. "That I never should," she replied, as Jane had. "Lewis..."

He leaned down and kissed her, gently. The kiss deepened and she clung to him. It might have been the words he'd just said, or it might have been the change, but she needed him again, now. She shifted her body, moving to lie over him and he pulled her so her legs were spread, her weight resting on him. His hands moved over her, sliding down her legs, then up under her dress to caress her thighs. His hands roamed over her buttocks, still covered with her underpants and she shivered with sensual pleasure. His hands slid higher, pushing the dress upward.

"Lewis," she whispered, suddenly embarrassed. They were outside, in the open where anyone could see.

His mouth trailed down her neck, then back up to her ear. "There's no one to see, Sarah. We're miles from the nearest house."

"Christopher..."

"Will watch or not. What difference does it make?"

She blushed as his hands pushed the dress up so he could caress her bare breasts. The skirt still covered her to the thighs.

"He can sense everything we do anyway," Lewis continued in a soft whisper, his thumbs brushing over her nipples. "If he bothers you, I'll send him away or dispose of him."

A strange shiver of pleasure went through her at the thought of Lewis ordering the man away just for her comfort. She tried to ignore the pleasure at the idea of Lewis defending her by killing someone. Again, she didn't know if it was some atavistic part of her Human self or the new instincts of a Dominant.

"I've always wanted to make love to you under the sky, Sarah." One hand slid down over her stomach, stopping to rub gently between her legs, over the fabric of her underpants, making her moan and press herself into his palm. "Can't you feel it, the call of the sky? Don't you want me to take you, here, in the open?"

She dropped her head, tilting her body closer to him. She did want this, she wanted to feel him inside her and look up at the stars. She wanted to experience the glory of him without being confined by a room and a bed. His magnificence was reflected in the beauty of the desert around them. She moaned as his hand moved again and kissed him, putting her hands to his head and holding his mouth to hers. His hands moved on her skin, fingers teasing her nipples and brushing over the sensitive skin of her inner thigh. She broke the kiss, looking up at the sky as his mouth trailed down her neck to her shoulder.

"If you're still concerned," Lewis murmured in an amused tone, "we can leave the dress on."

She pulled back and gave him a disgusted look, then reached down to draw her dress off and toss it aside. He smiled and pulled her abruptly to him, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her passionately. She could feel his arousal through his jeans and her underpants and she tilted her hips, rubbing against him.

His hands moved to her buttocks. A soft growl escaped him and he put both hands to the fabric of her panties at one hip, pulling sharply. The cloth parted easily and he did the same on the other side, then pulled the now destroyed undergarment free and tossed it aside. His hands dipped down, sliding over the exposed skin of her buttocks, caressing, then grasping her firmly to hold her in place as his legs spread and his hips lifted under her.

She gasped, pressing down, but his jeans were still between them. He growled again and his hands went to the button and zipper, unfastening them quickly. He lifted his hips, easily taking her weight along with his, but she raised higher so he could slide the jeans down his legs. He leaned forward, crushing her between his body and legs as he pulled the jeans off and kicked them away.

He brought his knees up so she was cradled between his legs and torso, then resumed his firm caresses of her body. His mouth found her breasts, and he devoured them hungrily. She arched her back, rubbing herself against his erection, ready to feel him inside her. His hands and mouth traveled over her body, proving, as he'd promised, that she was his. Knowing that he felt the same as she did, that he did love her, made his touch even more arousing then before. Tiny gasps and moans of pleasure and need escaped her as he touched her.

She rubbed against him and knew she was on the verge of a climax just from the feel of his hard length moving under her sex. His hands went to her waist, urging her up. One hand dropped down and positioned his erection, then he thrust upward into her. She cried out as she climaxed, waves of pleasure sweeping through her. She followed him down as he lowered until her weight pushed him deeper into her. She was panting, nearly sobbing with the sensations.

He pulled her close and kissed her, hard, then settled her back against his legs. He ran his hands up and down her body, then one hand moved to her throat, gently pressing her back. His legs lowered so she was tilted at an angle and she looked up at the sky as his hands played over her. Suddenly, the felt his finger pressing hard against her clitoris and his hips moved. She gasped, her first instinct to find something to grab hold of. His other hand was firm on her waist and her mind knew he would never let her fall. She clenched her hands, grabbing air, then reached upwards toward the sky, trying to touch the stars, crying out to them as his hands and the movement of his hips brought her to another sense-shattering orgasm.

Lewis was breathing heavily as Sarah leaned forward and curled herself around him. She liked being held like this with his body in front of her and his legs supporting her from behind and his marvelously talented sex in exactly the right spot. He chuckled, holding her close and rubbing her back.

"Liked that, did you?"

"Um hm," she hummed, nodding against his shoulder.

He held her for a bit, then kissed her cheek. "What would you like to do next?"

"I get to choose? That's unusual."

He chuckled again. "You take too long to make a decision. I generally can't wait."

She giggled. "Quick decision, then. How about the Jacuzzi?"

"I like that idea."

He turned so his feet hit the ground, then stood, still holding her wrapped around him. She tightened her grip and closed her eyes. She loved his strength, loved the way he displayed it so casually. He walked a couple of feet, then slowly stepped downward, tightening his arms around her. She sighed with pleasure when the hot water struck her buttocks and her sensitized sex. He kept moving down until they were both covered to the shoulders. She pulled back and kissed him, then let go and drifted away from him, finding a seat and leaning her head back to look up at the stars. After a moment, she gave him a wicked look.

"So, you've always wanted to make love to me under the sky, hm?"

The look he gave her was so intense, it stole her breath. His voice was equally intense when he spoke. "I've always wanted to take you to the desert, where we came from, and put you on your back in the sand."

Her eyes closed as her entire body responded to his words. When she could breathe, she opened her eyes and looked at him. "God, Lewis. Sometimes I think I might have an orgasm just from the things you say to me."

His eyes burned into hers and he leaned closer. "I've thought how it would be to strip you naked in the open air, to be able to see all of you in the sunlight. I'd shred your clothes from your body, piece by piece until you were bare to my eyes and the elements." He moved closer, his body drifting above hers in the water, not touching her as he braced both arms on either side of her. "You'd be embarrassed, but you'd give me what I want. Your fear would fade as I touched you."

His eyes held hers as he continued to paint the picture and her breath came fast and hard. His voice was still intense, but intimate. "There's a rock face there, where our species began, that juts up toward the sky. On it is a hollowed out place where our leaders claimed their females. It is my right to have my mate in that place."

His nose brushed her face, not quite touching her and her eyes closed, her fists clenching under the water as his soft words created a pounding ache between her thighs. "I would put you on your back in that hollow and take your mind from you with pleasure. I would spread you wide and make you moan with need, then enter you, slowly, so you'd know you are mine."

"Lewis," she whispered, dropping her head back to expose her throat. Her legs spread. She needed him between them.

"I would move inside you in slow, powerful strokes. Your hips would beg me for more, but I would make you wait."

She gasped, arching upward as his finger brushed over her clitoris. His voice dropped to a husky whisper. "Your need would be a living thing between us and I would feed it with my body. When you were ready, I would give you my strength and let you feel my passion, my desire for you. We would rise together and explode out of our bodies from the power of it."

His finger barely flicked her clitoris and she came for him, just from his words. He moaned her name, grasping her hips and lifting them, thrusting into her while she still shook from the orgasm. He thrust powerfully, pounding into her. Through half-closed eyes and a haze of pleasure, she could see his face, savage and primal. Urgent driving need pushed him as he claimed her body again. She exploded with him as he tensed and shook with his climax.

He held her hips tightly as they both relaxed and he softened. She looked up at the stars, knowing he was right about the open air and the expanse of space above them. It made everything better. She looked at him, reaching out to caress his cheek.

"Does it ever seem to you that all we do is have sex?" she asked softly.

He chuckled, pulling out of her carefully, then moving to sit beside her and put an arm around her. "Is there something you'd rather do?"

She shook her head with a contented sigh. "Can't think of anything."

"Then what are you complaining about?"

She snuggled against his shoulder, enjoying the feel of him and the hot water. "Does it sound like I'm complaining?"

He stroked her hair. "I'm afraid I may have left bruises that time, Sarah."

"I don't mind."

"I do. I don't like hurting you."

She sat up and looked into his eyes. "It's a small price to pay if it means you get to let go occasionally." She looked down shyly. "I like it when you let go."

His fingers found her chin and tilted her head up. "Still embarrassed to admit you enjoy my body, Sarah?"

"Sometimes. I guess that will change."

"Perhaps. I hope not."

She gave him a surprised look. "You do?"

He nodded. "Your shyness excites me, Sarah. It tells me that you burn for me alone, that you trust me to protect you when you break the dictates of convention."

She flushed again, amazed how his words roused such primal need in her. Mischief seized her. "It's a good thing your males have more sex drive than humans," she said, leaning in to nuzzle him. "I don't think you could keep up with me otherwise."

His arms went around her and he nuzzled her in reply. "No human male could match your passion, Sarah. You should always have been one of us."

She frowned as he took her teasing comment seriously. "Maybe you're underestimating humans," she murmured softly.

He gave her an arrogant look. "Do you think a human male could match me?" His derision was aimed at her species, not her.

Sarah was silent for several moments. "You said before that Nature provides. Would Nature have made me this way if she weren't going to provide someone who could match me?"

"She did. She provided me."

Sarah made a disgusted noise and sat up, looking into his eyes. "What sense is there in creating something in me that another member of my own species can't answer? There have to be men out there, *human* men who could have satisfied me."

Lewis' eyes were hard, but she could see he was suppressing his jealousy to answer her intellectually. His hand drifted up to caress her cheek.

"Not necessarily, Sarah. You may be an anomaly, a genetic sport. I never tested your DNA before you were injected. Perhaps you already had a differential."

"That's a cop out. You're assuming that no human could ever be as passionate as one of you. How do you know that? How do you know there aren't hundreds or thousands of humans out there as passionate as I am? I never let it go until I was with you, but it was always there. Maybe it's in all of us, but we just don't let it out because there's nowhere for it to go. Our society frowns on too much passion, except in artists. We aren't allowed to express ourselves that way, especially women. Does that mean it's not there?"

He cocked his head to the side, studying her, really listening to her. He always paid her the compliment of truly considering her opinions. She put her hand on his chest, leaning close and looking intently into his eyes.

"How do you know you're not underestimating what we're really capable of? Some of us have accomplished incredible things throughout history. Sure, there are stupid people and lazy people and people who aren't exceptional. But how many of us could be, given the opportunity?"

"My people don't ask for the opportunity," Lewis said. "We take it. Perhaps that's the difference between us."

"There're also fewer of you and you're united in a single goal. It's easier for you to justify being what you want to be, what your people need you to be. Humans don't want other humans to be exceptional. It scares them, makes them feel smaller. We encourage each other to stay down. You encourage each other to fly."

"Which is why we will succeed eventually."

Sarah shook her head. "Maybe. Your secrecy has allowed you to get this far. If people knew about you, things would change. It would even the playing field, because those exceptional humans would suddenly have a reason to stand up and use their natural talents."

His eyes narrowed. "Perhaps."

"Isn't that what you were trying to do by killing Sloan? Eliminate the exceptional ones, the ones who might be dangerous? But how can you identify all of us? You didn't think I was exceptional when you first took me."

Amusement creased his face. "I learned swiftly that I was mistaken."

"That's my point. How many others out there have you missed?"

He was silent and his eyes closed up as his thoughts turned inward. He absently caressed her arm as he considered her statements. It suddenly occurred to her that she might have just set in motion mass genocide.

"Lewis..."

He focused on her, amusement back in his eyes. "Don't worry, Sarah. I was simply considering your words. I won't take any untoward action."

She exhaled heavily in relief. "Good. I had this sudden image of you running off to kill everyone you aren't sure about."

"Actually, I was remembering something Tom once said."

"What was that?"

"He said we can coexist, that we have to. If more people were like you, Sarah, then perhaps he would be correct."

"Maybe there're more people like me than you realize."

"Precisely. Now, about the question of whether a human male could satisfy you..."

Sarah giggled as he reached for her again.

The next morning, Sarah was restless again. She didn't want sex this time, she wanted freedom. She paced around the house, starting at sounds that she didn't recognize, flaring her nostrils at strange scents. She put her hands over her ears, wanting to scream, in frustration. Lewis came up beside her and grasped her wrists. When he tried to move her hands, she struck out at him.

He held her easily and his strength made her passion flare. Her mate. She wanted him. Her hands went to the button and zipper of his jeans and she pushed them low on his hips, caressing him until he hardened. She lifted her skirt and shoved her underwear off. It would be easier not to wear it anymore, she decided as she pulled him to her.

She kissed him fiercely and he responded, running his mouth down her throat. Her eyes drifted open and she saw Christopher skulking in the hall. She hissed at him, grabbing Lewis before he could turn. She pulled him with her to the coffee table, sweeping everything aside and grasping his hips. He thrust into her and she hissed with pleasure this time, arching against him.

He gave her what she wanted quickly and deliberately and she cried out her pleasure at his strength and power. Her mate. When he finished, he stood, fastening his jeans, looking down at her as she stretched luxuriously.

"Lewis," she purred. "Have I ever told you what an excellent mate you are?"

His eyebrows raised and she laughed deep in her throat. She drew herself up on her knees and ran her fingers down his chest. "You are all a female could desire. Every other female will envy me." Her eyes hardened. "But you're mine. I won't give you up."

A tiny smile played over his lips and he grasped her arms. "We're agreed on that point, Sarah."

The possessive light in his eyes was everything she wanted from him. "I'm hungry again," she pouted.

He nodded and went to the kitchen. She trailed after him. Her hands moved over her body and she decided the dress was too confining. She pulled it off and threw it aside, padding over to stand beside her mate as he prepared food for her. Lewis glanced at her nudity, but made no comment.

She stood beside him, stealing bits of vegetables as he chopped. He made a huge omelet as a late brunch and she ate two-thirds of it. Idly, she wondered why she was eating so much. She mustn't become fat or sloppy. She wouldn't be able to hold Lewis then.

The thought made her look at him with passion again. She put one foot up in the chair, curling the other around, then rested her chin on her knee. She watched him, reaching out to try to feel his passion. Some part of her wondered why she thought she could do that, but another part knew she should be able to.

It wasn't there. She snarled in frustration and reached again. He looked at her, concerned. She could see it on his face. Why couldn't she feel it? Leaping up, she moved over to him, taking his head between her hands and searching his eyes, trying to feel him.

"What's wrong, Sarah?" he asked calmly.

"I can't feel you," she said, panting in her need. "Why can't I feel you?"

He looked at her and something changed in him. Suddenly, she felt a flash of... something. "There," she gasped. "What did you do?"

"I lowered my shields. Can you feel me now?"

She reached again and found the barest flicker. A frustrated sob escaped her as she tried to find more. His hands grasped her arms and he pulled her hands away from his head.

"The change hasn't gone far enough yet, Sarah. Be patient."

She ripped her arms free and turned, staring out at the desert. The sounds and smells were so intense, the sunlight so bright, it made her head hurt. She sobbed again, this time from the pounding behind her eyes and in her temples. Lewis swept her up in his arms and carried her up the stairs to their room, calling for Christopher.

"What's wrong with her?" Lewis demanded as he deposited her gently on the bed.

"It's part of the change. The pain will pass," Christopher said.

"Can't we stop it? Give her something?"

"Standard analgesics will have little effect. The pain should only last an hour or so."

"An hour...!"

Sarah could hear the frustration in Lewis' voice. She wanted to help him, but the pain was too great and she just curled up into a fetal position.

"Get out!" Lewis ordered. The door shut and a moment later, his hand stroked her back, her hair.

"God, Lewis. It hurts," she whimpered.

"I know." There was pain in his voice, matching hers.

"Make it stop," she begged.

"I can't." His voice was anguished.

She bit her lip on further pleas. He couldn't make it better. That knowledge must be killing him. She wouldn't add to his torment.

He leaned down and his lips brushed her forehead. He put his hand in hers and she squeezed. He squeezed back, the pressure of his hand urging her to clamp down harder. She complied and they stayed that way, each helping the other until the pain passed.

As the aching in her head subsided, Sarah suddenly realized she was naked, that she had been naked when Christopher came into the room earlier. She remembered what she'd done downstairs, how she'd demanded that Lewis take her on the coffee table, not caring that Christopher was watching. She felt a rush of shame, too deep for tears.

"Sarah, what is it?"

"I'm losing myself," she whispered. "I'm not me anymore."

His weight came down on the bed and he curled up around her, pulling her as close as he could. "I'm still with you, Sarah."

She sobbed, knowing he was trying to comfort her. Before, it had been enough that he would stay, but now it seemed worse.

"I won't be me anymore when this is done," she said in a broken voice. "It won't be me, it will be someone else in your bed, some other woman you'll make love to in the desert."

His cheek pressed against hers and he didn't answer.

"You'll still want me when I'm different?" she asked.

"Yes."

She sobbed again and tried to pull away, but he held her tightly. "You want that other woman," she accused. "You don't want me, you want her."

He nuzzled her cheek. "I can't let you go, Sarah, even if you won't be the same. I have to have you. You're part of me now."

She cried and he held her, rocking her gently. Eventually, she began to quiet.

"They killed me, Lewis." Her voice was calm, beyond pain. "They took away who I am. The Sarah I am today will be dead."

"I know." She heard the catch in his voice.

Her chin quivered and anger flared inside her. "Don't let them get away with it," she whispered fiercely. "Whatever I may become, whoever I may be later, don't forget who I was. Don't let them get away with doing this to me."

"I won't. They will pay."

"Even if I say not to do it later..."

"They will pay," he answered flatly.

After a while, Sarah decided she'd cried long enough for now. At least she knew this wasn't part of the change. She'd always been practical. She moved and Lewis loosened his arms, letting her turn so she could look at him.

"How will we know when this is finished?"

"We take a blood sample and run a DNA test."

"When?"

"Christopher said the change takes at least a week, so we wait seven days and see."

She sighed. "I'm beginning to not like Christopher very much."

A hard smile crossed Lewis face. "I'll deal with him now if you want me to."

She shook her head. "No, I don't want to tell you to kill him because I had a fit of pique. Besides," she said bitterly, "if I come to you and ask 'my mate' to kill him for me, you'll know I've finished changing."

"That may not happen, Sarah. You may stay much as you are now."

Tears pricked her eyes. "How can you say that? You saw how I was this morning. On the coffee table with Christopher watching for God's sake!"

"Was he watching? He's getting bolder."

Sarah frowned at him, distracted from her self-pity. "Didn't you notice?"

A tiny smile quirked his lips. "Christopher is irrelevant to me. You are important."

The tears overflowed a bit and he kissed them away, then spoke again. "As for the way you were this morning, that was just instinct."

"Instinct that will control me later."

Lewis shook his head. "Am I controlled by my instincts? Is Tom? Is Christopher? I've seen people change before, Sarah. I've never watched the entire process, but I have seen parts of it. As you change, the instincts overwhelm you and you act on them. Your hormones are raging. Once they've settled, you'll be more normal."

"So, you're saying I'm having some really killer PMS at the moment?"

He laughed and kissed her nose. "Essentially."

She thought about it, absently trying to snuggle closer. He rearranged himself and pulled her so they were body to body.

"It was so... primal," she said slowly. "You weren't Lewis anymore, you were My Mate. With capitol letters." She looked into his eyes. "The 'my' part was very important."

He chuckled. "That won't change. That instinct will still be inside you, it will even be stronger. There are times when I feel that way about you. You are My Mate."

That tender ache started deep inside her and his hands moved gently over her back in response, a soft caress. She concentrated on the conversation, wanting to finish it now, since she didn't know how she'd be even a few minutes from now. His hands stilled as he sensed she didn't want him to distract her.

"You said earlier, I was 'part of you', that you can't let me go. Why is that?"

"Among our people, pairings are more casual than among humans on the one hand, and more intense on the other. Males and females come together for propagation, many stay together to raise the children. As I've said, though, individual attachments are less strong."

"Like when Tom's mother betrayed him and had him beaten. I can't imagine a human woman acting like that."

Lewis smiled sardonically. "You've led a fairly sheltered life, Sarah. Think of the newspaper articles you've seen about parents hurting their children. Think about the high incidence of incest and molestation among humans. The difference is that the human parents who behave that way are considered 'sick'. For your species, their behavior is against instinct, yet it is tolerated."

"One of our people would never harm a child for his or her own pleasure. The instinct to propagate and raise another generation is too strong. However, our people are capable of making the considered decision to sacrifice our children or allow them to experience pain for the greater good. Allowing our children to be taken from us for the greater good of our species is actually instinctual for us. Humans would find that more difficult."

Sarah thought about that a moment, then shook her head. "I think it's training, not instinct. I think humans raised in a culture like yours would act the same way. I really think there's less difference between us than you believe."

Lewis shrugged. "We can discuss that when you've changed. I'll be interested in your views when you have the same instincts. We were talking about mating, though."

She smiled. "Like I said," she murmured, "all we do is have sex. Even verbally."

He laughed again, then continued his explanation. "When our people choose to raise children together, they may or may not feel strongly about the one they've chosen to pair with. Often, those pairings don't last beyond the time when the child is sent on for training. Those people are not Mated. They have not Claimed each other."

"You Claimed me early on."

He nodded. "You're Human. It's acceptable for me to Claim a human if I wish to. For any of us. Mutuality is not necessary."

Sarah frowned. "But you gave yourself to me."

"Eventually. And..." He hesitated. "It wasn't the same as it would have been with one of my own. It took longer to grow to the point where I perceived myself as yours."

Sarah squirmed up and lay on his chest, looking directly into his eyes. "Did you lie to me that first time? When you said you were mine?"

He shook his head and she studied him, trying to be sure he was telling her the truth.

"I've never lied to you Sarah. I've never had to. You were always strong enough to accept the truth." His arms tightened around her. "When I gave myself to you, I told you the truth. But I gave myself only to an extent. You were human. You couldn't understand the difference, couldn't feel it. As the months passed, though, my need for you grew as I felt the need in you grow."

He shook his head. "It's difficult to explain because it's all feelings. When two of our people commit to each other, there's an empathic connection which leads to an almost physical need. When I say I need you, I'm speaking the absolute truth - a physical reality. I'd say it's like an addiction, but it's more than that. That's why I say we'll wait until you've changed. The need may not exist in you once the change is complete."

"What would that do to you?" Sarah asked softly.

Lewis shrugged. "I don't know. This has never happened before. Occasionally a human and one of my people claim each other as you and I have done. It's even more rare than a true Mating between two of our own. None of the humans have ever been changed, though, so I don't know what will happen."

"Will you still feel the need when I'm different?"

"I do now."

She looked at him curiously. "What's it like?"

He looked at the ceiling, trying to find the words to describe something beyond words. "It's like that ache you felt a few moments ago, only stronger. I *need* to be with you, to touch you, but mostly, to feel your empathic signature in my mind."

"My what?"

"Each person is unique in the way their emotions are presented. We call that an empathic signature. When I'm separated from you, after a time, I need to feel you near me, to experience you again in my mind."

She nodded slowly. "I think I understand. And you're right, it does sound like an addiction."

He shrugged. "You'll..."

"...understand when I've changed. I know."

He smiled. "Perhaps I'm being lazy. If you weren't changing, I'd have to find a way to explain this to you."

"Only if you wanted to. You never do anything because you have to."

His smile broadened. "You know me well."

She laughed softly and leaned down to kiss him. It was a gentle kiss, reminding her of the soft, intimate love they'd been making before all this happened to them. She broke the kiss and trailed her mouth down to his ear.

"Make love to me, Lewis," she whispered. "Like we used to before all this happened."

His hands shifted and he rolled so they were on their sides. His mouth covered hers, his lips moving slowly and softly. She smiled against his mouth as he fitted her against him and she gave herself to the sensation. She loved it when he let go, but she also loved the controlled strength of him. He was so gentle, so tender. His touch could be as delicate as the kiss of a butterfly fluttering against her face.

His fingers spread, brushing over her breasts and stomach and she sighed, closing her eyes as his mouth moved lower, traveling down her neck to her shoulder. She shivered with waking desire.

"What do you want?" he murmured near her ear.

"You decide," she answered quietly.

She felt his lips move in a smile as his mouth traveled down her neck again. She smiled in reply as his hands moved down her arms. His fingers interlaced with hers as he drew her arms up above her head. His weight pressed her onto her back and he let her hands go, drawing his hands down her forearms, stopping to tickle the sensitive skin inside her elbow before continuing down.

"Like the first time," he whispered.

She dropped her head back as his hands explored her, letting herself enjoy the sensations as he found each sensitive spot and gave it his complete attention. She spread her legs, letting him touch her as he pleased, clenching the sheets in her hands as his fingers and mouth moved on her. She gasped, feeling the urgency grow as he traveled down her legs to her feet. His mouth and hands touched every part of her until her skin was tingling and her breath was coming hard and fast.

He moved slowly up her body, kissing and caressing until he came to rest between her thighs, his body supported on his arms as his head lowered so he could kiss her deeply. She drew her legs up, wrapping them around him and twined her arms around his torso. His mouth nibbled down her neck and her hips arched against his. She felt him smile.

"Not until you invite me," he said softly.

She lifted her head to nuzzle his cheek. "Come in," she whispered. "Come inside me, Lewis."

He did, pressing into her, moving slowly in and out. She sighed at the wonderful feeling of him against her, his weight over her. Feeling him inside her like this was almost better then the climax. Sometimes she didn't want it to come, just wanted this to continue forever. The need built, though and she moved under him, pressing upwards, forgetting the gentleness as the urgency claimed her. They moved together until she felt the pulsating waves of pleasure begin to crash through her, then he twisted his hips, as always, driving her higher, and loosed himself inside her.

She sighed happily as they lay together, still wrapped around each other. After a while, her stomach growled at her.

"Why am I so hungry?" she asked in a disgusted tone.

"You need fuel for the change," Lewis answered.

She sighed again. "It always comes back to that doesn't it?"

He nodded and drew away from her, pulling on his jeans. Leaning back down, he gave her a quick kiss.

"I'll be in the kitchen."

She nodded. "I'll be down in a minute."

He kissed her again and left. She lay on the bed, trying to feel the changes inside herself. She wondered if she'd even remember what she'd been like before. Surely, the change wouldn't erase her memories. Even if she did remember, though, would she care who she'd been? She hoped so. She'd always liked herself pretty well. She lay on the bed and mourned the loss of Sarah Hillar, daughter of Frank and Hannah. She wouldn't even get to rest in peace.

The next three days were much the same. Sarah consumed huge quantities of food. Lewis sent Christopher off to get more supplies for her. She alternately wept, got angry and was claimed by Dominant instinct.

There were times when she walked around the house completely nude and totally unselfconscious. She didn't care that Christopher watched her. Lewis was here and he would deal with the weaker male if it became necessary. There were times when she demanded that Lewis take her. Sometimes she ravished him, instead, Claiming her mate. The sex was almost violent in its intensity. When her human self returned, Sarah would cry again and Lewis would make love to her slowly and gently.

She struck out at him sometimes, accusing him of preferring the other, the animal Sarah who was so driven. He tolerated it, letting her work her anger out, never replying to the hurtful things she said. She'd break down and cry afterwards, telling him how sorry she was. In her lucid moments, she knew that it was all part of the process she was going through. PMS was an excellent analogy.

Her senses sharpened and stayed stronger more often. She could smell things, hear things she couldn't before. The light started to bother her eyes, but Christopher said that would fade quickly as her brain adjusted to the additional sensory input. Light brought the headaches more than sounds and she took to sitting inside, staring out. She wanted to be out in those open spaces, but she couldn't stand the sunlight yet.

Lewis sat with her, quietly, studying her. He always gave her whatever she asked for whether it was food, sex or comfort. She knew he was waiting for the change to finish, to see who she would be. They both waited.

The fifth morning after the DNA infusion, a car pulled up to the house. Even from upstairs in the bedroom, Sarah could feel two people, a male and a female, in the car. She started upright, grabbing a robe and pulling it on. She could feel Lewis downstairs in the kitchen also. She shook her head, wondering how long it would last this time before it faded. She hurried downstairs, stopping near the bottom to listen.

"Sarah?" Lewis came out of the kitchen. "Are you all right?"

She moved hesitantly down the last three steps and padded over to him. The man and woman came out of the kitchen and looked at her curiously. Lewis glanced at them.

"They came to see how we are," he said.

Sarah looked up at him, frowning. "Why should they care?"

"You're very important to us, now, Sarah." The man spoke softly. "You're Lewis' mate and that makes you very special."

She looked at the man as he spoke, feeling in intermittent flashes the truth of his words. She looked back at Lewis. "Who are you, anyway?" she asked with some asperity.

Lewis laughed softly. "Don't worry about it." She frowned and he leaned down to nuzzle her cheek. "Later, Sarah," he whispered.

The woman moved closer, looking Sarah up and down. "We're all curious about you, Sarah. Lewis isn't easy to interest."

The woman cast a glance at Lewis that told Sarah everything she needed to know. This woman wanted Lewis for herself. Her new sense flashed on, letting her feel the woman's projection of interest at Lewis.

Sarah moved between them possessively. "Mine," she hissed at the woman.

The woman looked startled, backing away a step.

"You want him," Sarah continued, "but he's mine."

Lewis put his hand on Sarah's shoulder and she could feel his amused approval. "Perhaps you should leave now," he said to the two.

The man looked carefully at Sarah, running his eyes down her as if she was a specimen in a cage. His glance was slightly appreciative, though.

Lewis stiffened slightly. "Surely you don't wish to challenge?" he asked in an amused tone.

The man's eyes narrowed. Sarah looked from one to the other, not sure what was going on.

"I was curious how she managed to interest you," came the soft reply.

"And?" Lewis asked, still in that amused, slightly insulting tone.

The man smiled slowly, a hard smile. "What can I say?"

The question was asked in a strange tone. Not as though he was complimenting Sarah, but more as though he was avoiding giving any answer. It occurred to Sarah that anything he said, positive or negative, might make Lewis angry.

The man looked around. "We'd like to speak to Christopher. I understand you haven't killed him." His tone suggested he was mildly surprised by that fact.

"Sarah asked for his life," Lewis said shortly. "I agreed to leave him alive until the change is complete. At that time, she can decide what she wants me to do with him."

The woman looked at Sarah, surprise and admiration in her eyes. "I wouldn't have expected Lewis to grant such a request."

Sarah looked back at her, not understanding the subtext of the conversation. She wondered whether it was instinct or culture. Would she understand after the change or still be confused? A flash of fear shot through her as she realized how much she didn't know, how much her life was about to change.

Lewis looked down at Sarah, then back at the two strangers. "Get out," he ordered sharply. "You're upsetting her. You chose to do this to her and I couldn't stop you, but I won't allow you to harm her further."

The man's eyes narrowed, but he nodded and lowered his head, then turned and left. The woman followed with a final glance, a mixture of envy and curiosity, at Sarah. Christopher came out of the back and scurried around Lewis and Sarah, following the other two outside.

"Sarah." Lewis' voice was soft and gentle as his hands cupped her face. "What frightened you? Did you think I'd let them hurt you?"

"Of course not," she whispered. "It's just... there's so much I don't understand. Even once I've changed, there will still be so much I don't know about why you act the way you do." She looked up at him. "I'll be part of a culture that makes no sense to me where I won't know the rules."

He pulled her close and put his cheek against her hair. "I'll be with you. I'll explain as much as I can. I know that doesn't help much, but it's all I can offer."

She wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly. "All you can offer is a great deal. You always give me everything you have. So far, it's been more than enough."

His arms tightened. "Not enough, Sarah. If it were, we wouldn't be going through this. I would have been able to protect you."

She pulled back and met his eyes. "I don't blame you for this, Lewis. You didn't want it anymore than I did. They did this to both of us."

He nodded and pulled her back to him. "Yes, but you're my mate. I should have protected you."

She put her head on his shoulder, wishing she knew what to tell him to comfort him. She didn't like feeling his pain. Her eyes opened wider. She could feel his pain.

"Lewis," she whispered. "I can feel you."

A flash of surprise went through him, quickly shielded.

"Don't do that," she gasped, clutching at him.

"Habit," he said shortly.

His shields dropped and she could feel him once more. She gasped again at the feel of him in her mind. His inside matched his outside. Strong. Powerful. Confident and self-assured. Arrogant. She giggled.

"I don't think you *could* be more arrogant if you tried."

He chuckled. "What else?"

She felt him, reaching out with this new sense in her. An incredible force of personality. Discipline. Intelligence. Ambition, but not for himself.

"How can I tell so much just from feelings?" she asked.

"Feelings are everything. They make up who we are. That's why my people control them, suppress them."

"You don't."

"Only around you, Sarah. No one else can feel me like this."

She pulled away again. "Haven't you ever let anyone in before?" she asked softly, thinking again how lonely he must be.

His hand drifted to her cheek, his eyes softening. "I hope this part of you stays, Sarah."

"It's a very human part."

"I know." He frowned slightly, looking a little puzzled. "Surprisingly, it's the part that touched me."

He leaned in and kissed her gently. Sarah kissed him back, absently, then pulled away.

"Lewis, promise me something. Promise me, when the change is complete, if I don't make you happy, you'll send me away."

His eyes were serious as he answered. "I can't promise that, Sarah."

"Promise me that you'll try, Lewis. I can't bear the thought that I might make your life harder."

He studied her closely. "If the new Sarah is sufficiently different that she doesn't make me happy, then the Claim won't hold. If that's true, then I promise to send you... her... away."

She put her arms around him, clinging to him again and he held her tightly. The door opened and Christopher walked back into the house. He stopped, looking at the two of them.

"They ordered me to stay," he said hesitantly.

"Did you think they wouldn't?" Lewis asked in an amused tone. "You're mine to do with as I please."

Sarah felt a tremble from Christopher in her new sense. Part fear, part... desire. She gave Lewis a wide-eyed look, suppressing a laugh. Lewis smiled down at her.

"Go away, Christopher," he ordered absently. "Don't interrupt us again."

A flash of anger was quickly suppressed as Christopher hurried away. Lewis looked down at Sarah, cupping her face in his hands again.

"Do you like it, Sarah? Do you like knowing so much more?"

She nodded slowly. "I like feeling you. It's as though there's a whole new world of Lewis to learn."

He laughed softly. "An entire world that's yours alone, Sarah."

Christopher skulked in his room, burning with anger. Martha and James had told him to stay. They said that whether he lived or died was irrelevant. It was Lewis' choice to make - or Sarah's now. When he protested that he could leave now, his duty done, they reminded him that he'd volunteered for this. His duty wasn't done until Lewis released him, either to death or life.

He was angry and frightened here in this house. Lewis and Sarah insulted him constantly. Sarah roamed the house, naked, knowing that Christopher wouldn't dare touch her. Part of him tried to justify her actions, pointing out that it was the change that made her behave this way, made her so much more primal. Still, she obviously had no respect for him as a male or even in her primal state she wouldn't act like this.

Lewis lowered his shields for Sarah, completely ignoring the fact that Christopher would be able to sense him as well. Either Lewis had no intention of leaving Christopher alive at the end of this or else he considered Christopher so inconsequential he didn't mind revealing himself. With his shields down, Lewis' knowledge of and amusement at Christopher's desire had been plain to read. Sarah had sensed Christopher's desire as well - and laughed at him.

He thought about those desires. Lewis and Sarah. He wanted them both, but Lewis would kill him. Christopher's desire to submit to Lewis would only lead to his own death. He no longer wanted to die, was no longer willing to die. He couldn't have Lewis, but he could have Sarah. Even as a Dominant she would still be weaker then himself.

He was somewhat surprised that his instinct to live was becoming stronger then his instinct to protect his species. Perhaps it wasn't the instinct to live, though. It was the instinct to mate, to propagate, kindled, in a way, by Lewis' very order to kill. Something had changed in Christopher. He didn't know what, but he knew he was no longer the submissive, former human he had been.

He would have allowed Lewis to dominate him sexually. The image still brought a shiver of need, but that avenue would only lead to his death. Since he couldn't submit, he would dominate instead and prove to both Sarah and Lewis what a mistake they'd made. He would also prove to the rest of his kind that he was not useless when he challenged Lewis' Claim on the female and won.

He felt them as they walked up the stairs, exploring each other in their minds, tasting each other. The feeling made him crazy. Now was the time to act. They were distracted by each other. Lewis would never feel him coming.

He kept his perceptions focused on them and smiled as he felt the passion between them build. They would soon be too busy to notice anything until he was in their room. He went to the munitions closet and got a gun, the same one he'd used to kill Samuel and Anne. It was appropriately ironic that the gun which had changed Christopher would kill Lewis.

As he crept up the stairs, trembling with anticipation, he kept himself shielded as best he could. He focused on them, knowing that Lewis had never reacted to his emotional voyeurism before. He stopped outside the bedroom door and smiled, feeling the erotic activity in his mind. He opened the door slowly and stood, watching them. Lewis had his back to the door - another insult and one for which he would pay dearly. He was down on one knee between Sarah's widespread legs, kissing her neck, working his way down over her breasts, her ribs, her stomach. Christopher shivered, knowing where that mouth was headed. He wanted both to feel Lewis' mouth on himself and to be the one whose tongue buried itself in Sarah's hot depths.

"Lewis!" Sarah gasped as her eyes opened and she saw Christopher in the doorway.

Lewis spun around and Christopher leveled the gun at him. Lewis stood slowly, moving away from Sarah, obviously trying to draw Christopher's aim away from her. Christopher allowed it. He had no intention of harming Sarah.

"What's this all about?" Lewis' voice was deceptively calm.

"I've decided that I don't want to die," Christopher said.

"No," Lewis said softly. "You've decided that you want my mate."

Christopher's eyes flickered to Sarah, then back to Lewis. He smiled coldly. "Yes."

"Christopher," Sarah gasped. "I would never give myself to you."

"Then I'll take you," he said with a shrug.

"I thought you didn't own each other," she protested. She was horrified, but he didn't care.

"He isn't truly one of us," Lewis told Sarah derisively. "He was one of the first to change successfully. Perhaps it was not as successful as originally believed."

"Shut up," Christopher ordered.

Lewis smiled slowly. "Do you truly wish me to be silent, Christopher?" His voice was a wash of silk and velvet in Christopher's ears. Lewis drew out the syllables of Christopher's name, playing with each one, rolling it on his tongue and in his mouth. The sound made Christopher think of other things he would like to have rolled in Lewis' mouth, other places he would prefer to feel Lewis' tongue.

Christopher's eyelids drooped slightly and he took a deep breath.

"Do you truly wish to kill me, Christopher?" Lewis' voice was still that same sensuous purr. "I think you'd rather keep me alive."

Lewis moved slowly, leaning seductively against the wall and Christopher swallowed hard, following the lines of Lewis' nude form with his eyes. He'd never desired a man before, but there was something about Lewis that made him shiver with need. Lewis was still erect, still ready to service his mate and Christopher swallowed again, imagining that hard length buried in himself. Lewis' smile became more sensuous.

"What do you really want, Christopher?" he asked, still playing with Christopher's name.

Christopher tried to answer in a mouth suddenly dry. He didn't know what he wanted anymore. Lewis cocked his head, studying Christopher, waiting for an answer.

"Respect," Christopher answered suddenly.

"Interesting," Lewis answered. "This would be one way to acquire it. Are you sure it's respect that you want, though, Christopher?"

He pushed off from the wall, still moving slowly and took a step forward. His movements were lean and economical and so incredibly graceful. Christopher raised the gun and Lewis stopped, spreading his hands.

"I'm naked before you, Christopher. What do you want?"

Christopher's hand shook and his eyes traveled Lewis' body again.

"Sarah, don't!" Lewis exclaimed suddenly.

Christopher turned his head as Sarah grabbed for his arm. The gun went off and Christopher grabbed Sarah bodily and threw her aside. Lewis was on him instantly, knocking the gun out of his hand and carrying him to the floor. Lewis straddled Christopher and very deliberately locked his hands around Christopher's neck, beginning to squeeze. There was blood on Lewis' side. The doctor in Christopher noted that the damage was minor, but still more than a flesh wound. As the blood rushed to his head, Christopher clung to that. He'd injured Lewis. Not even Tom Daniels had accomplished that when he'd held a gun to their most famous operative. Christopher had injured Lewis, though. Darkness rose around him and he sank into oblivion.

Sarah sat up, her back aching where she'd hit the wall. She looked around and saw Lewis strangling Christopher. She watched, horrified, unable to move. Some part of her noted that there was blood running down Lewis' side. He'd been shot.

Her new instincts, the instincts of a Dominant, reveled in the revenge Lewis was taking. She was glad he was killing Christopher. He'd hurt Lewis, threatened to rape her. He was dangerous. This was the instinctive anger she'd been afraid would take her over. It didn't, though. She felt it in her, but it didn't control her, just as Lewis said it wouldn't.

She stared, watching as Lewis slowly tightened his grip. She'd never seen him like this. His expression was feral. It was both terrifying and arousing to watch him killing a man to protect her. She pressed her hand to her mouth, tears filling her eyes, and huddled back against the wall. Her own reaction to the violent scene in front of her frightened and horrified her.

After an eternity, Lewis let go and looked over at her. His expression changed instantly from anger to concern. He stood and hurried over to her.

"Are you all right?" he asked anxiously.

She stared up at him, almost afraid of him. The feeling was alien to her. She hadn't been afraid of him in so long. She looked over at Christopher - Christopher's body, she corrected herself - then back at Lewis. He knelt slowly, very gently reaching out to grasp her arms and turn her so she couldn't see the body.

"It's all right, Sarah," he said softly. "Are you hurt?"

She stared at him, then looked down at the wound on his side. "You are," she said. Her hand trembled as she reached out to the touch the blood on his ribs. It was warm and sticky. The sharp scent of it made her nostrils flare.

He glanced down. "A minor wound. Did he hurt you?" He spoke slowly, articulating each word carefully.

When she didn't answer, his hands lifted her and he felt her back and legs. Surprisingly, the way he checked her for injuries struck her as funny and she suppressed a hysterical giggle.

"I'm fine, Lewis." She hesitantly pressed her hand below the wound on his side and took a deep breath. He was hurt. She didn't have the luxury of falling apart right now. "But you're not. What do we do about this?" she asked.

He glanced down again and shrugged. "A few stitches and I'll be fine."

"Well, *I* can't stitch it," she said in a disgusted tone.

He smiled, pulling her to her feet, then checked her for injuries again. A quivery smile crossed her face at his concern.

"I'll call James," Lewis said absently as his hands traveled over her. "He'll send someone."

She nodded and put her arms around his neck, trembling. "I was so afraid he was going to shoot you," she whispered.

His arms went around her and he held her close. "I know." He took a deep breath, then pressed her away from him. There was a hardness in his eyes and his voice. "You shouldn't have done that."

She pulled away, knowing he was right. He could have handled it better on his own. "I couldn't just sit there and do nothing!" she protested, remembering her instinctive need to try to protect him.

A slow smile spread across his face. He reached out and caressed her cheek, his eyes softening. "No, you couldn't. Not my Sarah."

She frowned. "Was it your Sarah or the new Sarah?"

"Mine in either case, but you'd have done the same thing before the change." He took her chin and tilted her head up, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Don't *ever* do anything like that again."

She nodded and his eyes closed as he took a deep breath. She could tell he was controlling the pain.

"Let's go make that phone call," she said quietly.

He pulled her to his unwounded side and kept his arm around her as they went down the stairs. He dialed a number on the phone and said simply, "Lewis. Send a doctor." He had Sarah find some bandages and wrap them around his ribcage to stop the bleeding. Then they sat down on the couch and Sarah suddenly blushed, realizing they were both nude.

"I'll get us some clothes," she said, hurrying up the stairs. His laughter followed her.

She walked into the bedroom and stopped, looking at Christopher's dead body. How stupid of her to forget it was in here. The trembling started again as she looked down at his eyes. They were open and staring, cold and lifeless. She pressed her hand to her mouth, trying not to gag.

"It's all right, Sarah," Lewis' voice called from downstairs. She could hear the concern in his tone. "We don't need clothes."

She swallowed, forcing herself to step around the body and grab a dress and Lewis' jeans. She closed her eyes as she scuttled around the body again, hurrying out of the room. Lewis was halfway up the stairs when she cam down them.

"You didn't have to do that," he said brusquely.

"I know. I guess I should get used to it, though."

He grasped her wrist as she held out the jeans and pulled her toward him. "You won't be seeing a lot of dead bodies in your life, Sarah."

"If I'm with you..."

He gave her an amused look. "Do you think that's all I do? Kill people?"

"I don't know what you do, Lewis," she said in a shaky voice. "I don't even know who you are."

He nodded. "I'll explain it to you. It'll take a while. We'll talk about it later, though." He cupped her cheek and looked into her eyes. "You don't have to get used to things like that, though. I would never subject you to such sights."

She tried to smile despite a quivery chin. He pulled her close and held her for a moment, then took the jeans and drew them on. She could tell he was humoring her.

He smiled and nodded at the dress in her hand. "Aren't you going to put that on?"

She started and looked down, then pulled the dress on over her head. They went back to the couch and she sat next to him, taking his hand and studying him anxiously. He sat carefully, then put his head back and closed his eyes.

"I'll be fine, Sarah," he said without moving. "The doctor will be here very soon."

His hand tightened on hers and she raised it to her lips, then held it to her cheek. "Why did Christopher do that?" she asked. "He said he'd volunteered, that he knew he'd die."

Lewis shrugged. "I waited too long. He began to desire life. And you." His fingers opened and cupped her cheek.

She rubbed her face against his palm. "You, too, apparently."

A smile crossed Lewis' lips. "Apparently."

Sarah thought for a moment, then spoke slowly. "This is my fault, then."

He opened his eyes and looked at her curiously.

"I should have let you kill him. You were injured because I asked you to let him live."

His thumb moved, caressing her cheek. "It was my choice, Sarah. I could have refused."

"You should have," she whispered fiercely. "I hate that you were injured because of me."

His arm went around her and he pulled her down to his chest, stroking her hair gently. "And I hate that you've been changed because of me."

They sat quietly until they heard a car pull up. The front door opened and James walked in with another man, projecting concern. His eyes widened when he saw the blood and Lewis' bandage.

"Christopher decided he wanted to live," Lewis said shortly.

"I see. I couldn't imagine why you'd need another doctor with him here." James glanced around. "He's dead, I take it."

Lewis nodded. "Have someone remove the body and clean the room."

"I'll make someone available to you," James said.

Sarah watched anxiously as the doctor carefully sewed up the wound. When the blood was washed away, it really wasn't as bad as she'd thought. Still, she didn't like seeing Lewis hurt.

"How did he manage to do that?" James asked curiously. "It wouldn't be easy to get that close to you with a weapon."

"I was otherwise occupied," Lewis answered casually.

Sarah blushed furiously and James smothered a grin. The doctor gave her a measuring look and Sarah glared at him. Lewis' hand casually grasped the doctor's wrist and squeezed. The doctor looked back at Lewis with a start, then focused on the wound again.

"You're going to have to teach her to shield." James voice was amused. "She's projecting everything."

"I know." Lewis glanced fondly at Sarah. "A pity, though."

Sarah blushed again, realizing why Lewis had always kept her away from other Dominants. All of her erotic thoughts and feelings were obvious to them. Lewis' hand caressed her cheek and his eyes met hers.

"I liked her this way," he said softly, then cast an annoyed look at James.

Her eyes narrowed and she glared at Lewis, determined to learn how to shield just so she could finally be on a level playing field. That empathy thing might not be as annoying when she had the same advantage.

He chuckled. "You're learning, Sarah."

A delicate, but disgusted snort escaped her and she sat back on the sofa, crossing her arms and continuing to glare at him. He laughed. James joined him.

"She is a remarkable female, Lewis."

"She is," Lewis agreed softly.

Sarah looked away with a blush, wishing they wouldn't talk about her that way. Partially wishing it, anyway. She kind of liked Lewis' possessive pride. It was also rather nice to be admired, knowing that Lewis would protect her.

James laughed again. "You really do have to teach her to shield, Lewis."

She threw up her hands and stomped out of the room with Lewis' and James' laughter following her. She went out and sat by the pool, staring at the sky and the desert, pulling her legs up and wrapping her arms around them so she could rest her chin on her knees. After a while, Lewis came out and sat beside her.

"Maybe we should have that talk, now, Sarah."

Sarah nodded, waiting for him to speak.

"I train people," he said softly.

"Like Tom," she said. "He said you taught him to kill."

Lewis nodded. "Among other things. The people I train are those Chosen to be our leaders."

Sarah gave him a surprised look. "Tom?"

Lewis nodded again. "Tom was one of the Chosen."

"Is that why he hasn't been killed."

"He was chosen to be one of our leaders eventually. It's something we take very seriously. Since he's struck out on this new path, my people are curious about where he would lead us. They may not choose to follow, but they're waiting to see what he does."

"What about that woman you killed? Wasn't she one of your students?"

"You mean Lisa? Yes, but she wasn't Chosen. I work with others, as well, the ones who show talent. The Chosen are the most crucial, though. The others are expendable."

Sarah ignored the last statement and focused on what Lewis did, who he was. "So, if you train the leaders, what does that make you?"

A tiny smile tugged at his lips. "Important. But then, you'd figured that out already."

She nodded.

"A council of leaders sets the basic goals for the species. Then there are those of us who implement those goals. We break them down and plan the overall strategy. My specialty is seeking out individuals who do or might present a threat to the security and secrecy surrounding our existence. Threats are targeted and eliminated."

Sarah swallowed hard, looking down at the ground. This was the thing that she hadn't wanted to know about him. As long as she could ignore the fact that he was working to destroy her species, that he killed people, she could stay with him. Even in the end, though, after nearly a year with him, even the unconfirmed ideas had begun to fester in her. Lewis looked at her without speaking while she digested the information.

"Don't you answer to anyone?" she asked softly.

He shook his head. "For the most part, I'm autonomous. There aren't very many outside the council with more authority than I have. And when you're good at what you do, when you show results, people don't question you."

She nodded again. That was true anywhere.

He sat quietly for a while, not saying anything. She was always surprised by how still he could sit without seeming to get restless. She smiled, realizing that she was avoiding thinking about what he'd just told her.

Finally, he spoke. "What do you want to do now, Sarah?"

She shrugged. "There's no point in doing anything yet. We wait for the change to finish and see who I am."

He cocked his head, studying her. "What would you do today if you had to choose?" he asked gently.

She took a deep breath and met his eyes. "I pretty much knew that all along. What you do, I mean."

He nodded.

"I was ignoring it, but it was getting harder and harder to do that toward the end."

He nodded again. "I know. I could feel it."

Reaching out, she caressed his cheek. "That's why you asked me what I wanted that last time. What could we have done, though?"

A tiny smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "What do you think precipitated your kidnapping, Sarah? They knew I was committed to you. When I came back that last time, I was careless. I was angry that you were in pain and that I couldn't stay with you or bring you with me. I let my shields slip enough for Julia to sense my feelings. She reported immediately and they acted."

Sarah was surprised at the admission. Lewis had been angry enough to let his shields slip. She looked at him wonderingly. "Would you really have changed your life for me?"

He didn't answer at first, just stared out at the pool. "I don't know what I'd have done if you'd asked me to change."

Sarah put her hand on his arm, looking deep in his eyes. "I don't believe in ultimatums, Lewis. I suppose if I had to choose today, I'd simply choose to leave." Her breath caught at the simple statement and she couldn't say anything else around the lump in her throat.

He stood swiftly, pulling her upright and holding her very tightly. "You wouldn't get far," he whispered intensely. "I could never let you go."

She buried her head in his shoulder, trying not to cry. After a moment, he took a deep breath.

"You're right," he said. "There's no point trying to make plans yet. We have to wait and see who you become."

She nodded with her face still pressed against him. A moment later, she pulled free, looking toward the house. She could hear another car pulling up and feel the people in it.

She grimaced. "That woman is back."

"Martha."

She could sense his amusement and gave him a narrow-eyed look. "I take it you know her."

He nodded with a wicked twinkle in his eyes. "In all senses of the word. She's the mother of my oldest children."

Sarah stiffened and glared at him. His lips twitched.

Her eyes narrowed again. "I think she should leave," Sarah said in a soft, deadly voice.

Lewis smiled broadly. "She will, as soon as they clean up the bedroom."

Sarah glared at him. He leaned down to kiss her, but she wouldn't let him, moving her head away. His hand came up and buried itself in her hair and he pressed her against him with his other arm. His mouth came down on hers and he kissed her, thoroughly, until she forgot why she'd been resisting him in the first place and wrapped her arms around him, kissing him back. They broke the kiss simultaneously, both of them sensing James' approach. Sarah turned and Lewis tucked her under one arm as they moved to meet James.

"The house has been taken care of," James said. "We'll be leaving now. Do you want someone else to be stationed here?"

Lewis shook his head. "I'll call if we want anything."

James nodded. "I'm very pleased to have met you, Sarah. I look forward to getting to know you better."

Sarah smiled ironically. "I can't really say I feel the same way at the moment, but that may change over the next couple of days."

James' eyebrows rose and he gave Lewis a measuring look. Lewis looked back at him steadily. James glanced back at Sarah and nodded.

"We'll see how you feel in a few days, then," he said softly.

He turned and left without further comment and Lewis' arm tightened around Sarah. "Very good," he said quietly.

Sarah was lying on her stomach on the bed watching Lewis fold clothes. It was a strange sight and she was having trouble taking it in, which amused him. He'd actually done the laundry while she took a nap. She'd been a bit shocked to find out he even knew how to operate a washing machine. He laughed and pointed out that it didn't take a rocket scientist. Of course, he could probably do that, too, if he wanted.

He could have had someone come in and do the chores, but he said that as long as she was sleeping, he might as well do them himself. That way, they wouldn't be disturbed by outsiders. She liked that logic.

"Lewis."

"Hm?"

"Is James the one who decided I should be changed?"

Lewis glanced at her, still folding sheets. "I doubt it. He and I are approximately equals."

"Then who did?"

He shrugged. "One or two members of the council were probably brought together. They would have ordered it done. James implemented it, though."

Sarah's eyebrows raised. "You were pretty civil to him."

He grinned sardonically. "Not really. There was a lot going on under the surface that you couldn't pick up on."

She chewed on her fingernail for a moment. "Today's the seventh day."

He nodded.

"Do you think I'm done changing?"

He shook his head. "Your sixth sense is still intermittent."

"I don't really feel all that different."

He looked at her.

"Inside, I mean. I still think what you're doing is wrong and I believe that humans shouldn't be killed off."

"Humans?"

"Yes, they're not really that great a threat to us..."

She trailed off as she realized what she was saying. Her eyes opened wide and she stared up at him. He set the folded sheet down and walked over to the bed. He sat down beside her and she snuggled into his arms. Surprisingly, she wasn't all that upset.

"Us and them," she said softly.

"That's how it is," he replied.

"Maybe you should go ahead and test my DNA."

He shook his head. "Not yet. Perhaps tomorrow."

She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. "I just don't really feel different, but I can see a total shift in the way I think, now that I concentrate on it."

"Does it bother you?"

"Not really. Because I still *believe* the same things about humans, I just don't think of myself as one of them anymore. I suppose if I didn't believe the same things, it still wouldn't bother me."

"What do you still believe about humans?"

"That we can coexist with them. I see now that we have to protect ourselves, but we can make it work. Lewis," she sat up and looked into his eyes. "You've been working toward the eventual goal of eliminating humans. Why not change the goal?"

His eyebrows raised questioningly.

"Why not change the goal to reaching a point where we can force humans to accept our existence and leave us alone?"

"Two dominant species on the same planet?"

"Why not? Besides, who says we have to stay on this planet?"

His eyebrows raised higher.

"How much time did you figure it would take you to achieve your goals?"

"Another generation at least before we can implement the complete extermination of all humans. We aren't nearly ready for world-wide activity yet. Once we implement, it will take at least a generation to complete."

She nodded. "In two generations space travel could be a real possibility."

"You're dreaming, Sarah."

"Aren't you? Isn't the elimination of all humans from Earth a dream that you're trying to make into a reality? Why not pick a different dream? How about making them give us a continent? They stay on theirs and we'll stay on ours."

He shook his head. "It would never work. Eventually, one or the other of us would outgrow the space we had and we'd want more."

"Then we'll have to find more space. Undersea and outer space colonies aren't that far in the future if we only had a reason to push for them. And why can't we control the population? Who says that everyone who wants to have fifteen children should be allowed to? Why not change the goal?"

Lewis looked at her with a little smile. She made a disgusted noise and punched his chest lightly.

"All right, let's approach this from another angle," she said. "You promised me you'd make them pay for what they did to me."

He gave her a startled look.

"What were you planning to do?" she asked.

"I hadn't decided yet," he said softly.

"Well, let's make them pay together by changing their plans. They took a human, *your* mate and turned her into one of them. Well, I'm not going to roll over and play nice. I'm not going to sit around and watch them, watch *you*, exterminate humans. If you can't be persuaded to make another choice, you might as well kill me right now."

He smiled fondly. "You know I could never hurt you."

"You couldn't, but they could. What will they do when I start messing up their plans? When they act, who will you choose - your people or your mate?"

His eyes narrowed. "I thought you didn't believe in ultimatums."

"I don't. I'm not asking you to choose, I'm pointing out that you may have to. Unless you're willing to lock me up or kill me - or let them lock me up or kill me - things are going to change. I'm going to go out and find a way for us to coexist. I'll join Tom and Sloan, if necessary."

His hands grasped her arms. "Sarah..." he said in a warning voice.

"I'm serious, Lewis. I believe my thinking has changed as much as it's going to. As I am now, is how I'll be. Get used to it. And as I am now, I won't be satisfied with the role I played before. I won't go back to that house and wait for you. I won't join you in your crusade to eliminate humans, either, and I won't stand by and do nothing. I'm going to fight for what *I* believe in."

She reached up and caressed his cheek. "You don't have to come with me, and I'm not letting you go." She kissed him fiercely, wrapping her arms around his shoulder. "I'll never let you go," she whispered in his ear, then took a deep breath and pulled back again so she could look him in the eye. "We can meet in the middle." She smiled. "There's irony. Two lovers on opposite sides meeting under a flag of truce."

His hand went to the back of her neck and he held her immobile. "Do you know what you're saying, Sarah? They'll try to kill you."

"I know. Of course, if they do, you'd have to kill them. That leaves them with a pretty uncomfortable choice to make. They can kill us both, or leave me alone."

Lewis let her go and stood up, walking away from her. He stood with his back to her for a moment, then turned and looked at her with a tiny smile on his face. The smile grew as he shook his head. "They have no idea what they set in motion when they kidnapped you."

She smiled broadly and curled up, sensuously drawing her legs in toward her body. "No, they don't. Why are you standing over there, anyway?"

His nostrils flared and she saw desire burning behind his eyes. She ran her hand down her body, slowly following the curves and lines. She tilted her head and gave him an arch look.

"Wouldn't you rather be over here, next to me?"

"You can't control me with sex, Sarah."

"I can't control you at all, Lewis. Nor do I want to. *They* want to control you, remember? That's why they kidnapped me."

His eyes narrowed, but he didn't respond.

She stretched out, lying half on her stomach, half on her side with one leg bent in front of her. "You can't control me, either, Lewis. Not anymore."

"I never could," he said. "That's why I let you go."

She smiled slowly. "You let me go because you decided you didn't *want* to control me. You know as well as I do that you would have, eventually, if you'd kept me in that bedroom. But then, we'd never have wound up here, would we?"

He didn't answer.

"Now, the way I see it," she continued, "either you and I can work together to change the goals of our people, or I can go off on my own and try to thwart the goals that already exist."

"You're asking a lot."

"I'm your mate," she said simply.

He lowered his head, then looked at her with an ironic smile. Walking over to the bed, he knelt with one hand on the floor so their eyes were on the same level.

"Yes, you are."

She caressed his cheek. "I understand what that means now."

She did understand. It was deep inside her, an instinct that she couldn't ignore. It was something that humans still struggled to find without understanding what they were even trying to reach. He was right when he said it wasn't precisely love. It was stronger. It wasn't just emotion, it was physical. She could feel him inside her, enmeshed in this new sense. When he was close, in the same room, it was almost as though they were inhabiting each other's bodies. Everything he felt reflected in her.

The feeling lessened with distance, and she began to understand the quiet statement he'd made that last time he left her. 'I ache when we're apart.' It seemed if he went too far away, something would be ripped away inside her, leaving her bleeding internally, like Rochester said to Jane. Lewis hadn't just been quoting, he'd been trying to tell her how it was with him. She knew now why he'd been so jealous when she was human. The jealousy would fade now. They didn't need it anymore.

If he became attracted to another female, she would know it. He wouldn't be able to hide it from her. The same was true for her. If she wanted another male, he would know. Jealousy was based on insecurity and uncertainty. There was none, now. They knew.

His need for her before had been strong, but there was something missing. The second half of the bond hadn't existed until she'd been changed. Without the second half, he'd been in a sort of limbo. Feeling him inside her, knowing the bond as it was now, she couldn't imagine how he'd survived with her when she was human. It must have been a constant torment, feeling the instinct, but not the fulfillment.

The completed bond, though, was a peaceful place, except for the physical need between them. If he'd told her before she'd changed that she could feel more desire for him, she would have laughed at him. Amazingly, though, she did. Sometimes it was a driving need, sometimes just a deep ache in her sex, up near her womb.

She looked at him now, and her eyes narrowed as she studied his body. "Come here," she said softly.

He smiled and stood, removing his jeans and lying down beside her. She pressed him onto his back and straddled him. Her eyes ran over his chest and her hands followed their path. He put his hands under his head and smiled up at her.

She bent down and trailed her lips over his throat, his chest. She started at the top and worked her way down. She took his hands and kissed his palms, the insides of his wrists and elbows. She traveled over the curves and hollows of his shoulders and throat. Her hands traced patterns on his ribs and stomach.

His hands captured hers and their fingers intertwined. He tugged gently, pulling her down so he could capture her lips with his own. The kiss was deep and intimate and she lost herself in the feel of his mouth against hers. His arms came around her, his hands playing over her back, straying down to her buttocks and thighs, then back up as his arms tightened, holding her close.

They kissed and touched while the feelings grew between them. As his mouth traveled down her neck, Sarah smiled at the feel of him in her mind. She could feel his need, his desire as he must have always felt hers. It made everything better, every touch more intimate. Her breathing deepened with the deepening of the emanations coming from him and her arms went around him, holding him tightly.

He sat up, carrying her with him, then lifted her so he could swing his legs under. Kneeling, he pulled her against him, spreading her legs over his own, and kissed her again. She wrapped her arms around him and held on against the intoxicating sensations he was producing in her newly awakened sixth sense. He broke the kiss and whispered in her ear.

"Are you all right?"

She nodded against his shoulder, shifting her hips against his erection. His hands cupped her buttocks and lifted her. One hand supported her while the other reached between them and positioned his shaft, then he slowly lowered her until he was completely within her. His hands came up and cupped her head, stroking her hair as he looked deeply into her eyes. He offered her everything with that look and she accepted with a kiss that took his breath away.

His hips moved and a tiny sound of pleasure escaped her. She broke the kiss, pulling back so she could look into his eyes again, those glorious eyes that were open now. He didn't hide anything, didn't hold back. He gave her all that he was, dropping his shields completely and letting her in. She gasped, closing her eyes, overwhelmed at the experience of him in her mind and body. His shields raised a tiny bit and she gasped again, in negation this time.

"No," she whispered.

"It's too much, Sarah. You're not ready."

"Don't close up, Lewis. Let me feel you."

She put her hands on either side of his face and kissed him again, exploring the incredible new sensation of having all of him inside of her. His shields dropped again and she was faint from the feeling, but she held on to herself and tried to meet him halfway. His hips moved again and she gasped. It was too exquisite, having him inside her like this, all of him, mind and body. The tiniest physical move he made brought almost unbearable pleasure when combined with the movement of him in her mind.

She could feel his concern, his fear that he would overwhelm her, but she wanted it to continue, needed to know him as he'd always known her. She sensed his acquiescence to her need and he moved again, slowly, body and mind, letting her feel him. His arms held her safely against him and her breath caught as the feelings intensified even more. His breathing became ragged as he gave himself to it also. No longer controlling, he let go and she felt passion pulsing through him, mixing with hers.

She gasped again, grabbing his shoulders as he moved instinctively within her. She matched his motion, inside and out, feeling a new strength within as her own instincts rose to meet his. It wasn't the driving need that came when they Claimed each other, it was an affirmation of their togetherness. They merged, body and mind, moving together, feeling all the other felt until an explosion of pleasure swept over them in pulsating waves. Sarah had no idea which of them had climaxed. Both, neither, it didn't matter. They shared it, riding the waves, both of them shaking as it crashed over them again and again.

They sat together under the stars, wrapped in a blanket on a chair by the pool. Sarah sighed contentedly at the feel of his arms wrapped around him and his presence in her mind. They would never be apart again unless she wished it.

She snuggled closer, wondering how difficult it was going to be to convince him to work with her. He could no more hurt her or confine her then she could hurt or confine him. Dominants didn't own or coerce their mates because the feeling within, the instinct would never stand for it. Since Lewis couldn't stop her, he would either have to let her go or follow her.

He couldn't let her go. She knew that. And, for some reason, she knew if he left, she would be able to go her own way until he returned to her. Perhaps it was all the waiting she'd done when she was still human. Perhaps it was something inherently female, this ability to wait. Perhaps it was simply something in her, personally. In any case, she knew that she could out wait him, that he would have to return to her before she had to go after him. When she left, he would have to follow her eventually. He couldn't live without her.

When he came to her, he would have to fight her, remain neutral, or join her. She didn't believe he'd fight her. He couldn't, any more than she could fight him. He also couldn't allow any of the others to fight her. She was his Mate and he must protect her. He might choose to remain neutral, but she doubted it. He was too Alpha to stand by and do nothing.

She wasn't sure where she was going to go yet, or what she would do. She would probably contact Tom and see if he had any ideas. She'd figure something out, begin to plan and implement once she had an idea of the best way to proceed. And Lewis would follow her. Eventually, she firmly believed, eventually, he would also join her.

© Tere Matthews 1998

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