CHAPTER NINE

“YOU KNEW IF I knew Ned was my son I would never have agreed to help you get pregnant, didn’t you?” Faison continued to squeeze Helena’s throat tightly as his rage at her betrayal increased. “What’s the matter, Helena, did you think if I knew I would cut you out of the deal and make a deal of my own with Smith?”

“I’m warning you, Faison.” She glared at him murderously as she tried to pry his fingers off her throat. “Let me go or suffer the consequences.”

“You made me think I was powerless in this situation.” He continued. He was so caught up in his rage at her he wasn’t listening to a word she said. “You tried to trick me into cutting my own son out of this deal. You made me think the only way I could play a part in this was if I got you pregnant. And for that you’re going to die.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Faison.” Helena pointed her hands towards him and lightning bolts shot from her fingertips. He went flying across the room, hitting the wall with a loud thud. “How dare you lay hands on me, Faison. I am your Queen. For that you shall pay.”

“If you want a war, witch.” Faison spat. “You shall have it.” He added as he tried to get to his feet. Faison knew he needed to get out of there and go off somewhere to recover from the direct hit he‘d suffered from Helena. In his weakened condition he was too vulnerable to protect himself from Helena or stop her from trying to finish him off. “Just remember I’m just as powerful as you are.”

“Really?” Helena laughed. “If so, how was I able to throw you across the room. My powers are immense, Faison. You’re no match for me even if you should team up with Edward Quartermaine and his daughter.” She added. “But I won’t give you a chance to do that. You’re not going to leave this room alive.” She aimed her fingers at Faison planning on finishing him off. Before the fire power from her fingers could reach him he managed to summon up enough strength to vanish before her eyes.

“Damn it!” Helena exploded. “He got away!“ She yelled up at the ceiling. “You can run, Faison, but you can’t hide. I’ll find you. There isn’t a place in this universe you’ll be able to hide from me and when I find you I’m going to destroy you.”

SOREL SHEEPISHLY ENTERED Edward’s office at ELQ. Edward had discovered that Bobbie had escaped from his clutches and had summoned him to his office for an explanation. “Please tell me, Vampire, how Bobbie Spencer managed to escape from you.” Edward demanded. “I had this plan all set-up. Corinthos would agree to ship in drugs for you to get her back. I’d have proof of him doing that, which I would use to force him to send Carly back to AJ or I would send him to prison.” Edward added. Corinthos knows jail would be the death of him. He wouldn’t be able to protect himself from the sun in prison. The first sunrise he had to live through would be the death of him. And you ruined it all with your stupid bumbling.”

“It wasn’t my fault.“ Sorel exclaimed. “It was one of you witches. Stefan Cassadine rescued her from me, but I have plans to get her back. Your plan is still workable.”

“You fool!” Edward scorned. “Your no match for Stefan Cassadine. If you try to go up against him he’ll destroy you.” Edward added. “It’s too late. By now Corinthos must know Bobbie is no longer in your clutches. Our association is over, Sorel. Don’t come here again or I will destroy you, myself.”

“That’s just fine with me, old man.” Sorel threw back at him. “I have plans of my own to destroy Corinthos and your plans would have only gotten in my way.”

“I’M GLAD YOU convinced me to share this bath with you.” Sonny sighed as he laid supine in a hot steaming bubble bath with his eyes closed half-asleep. “It’s just what I needed after everything we’ve been through in the last twenty-four hours.”

“I want us to share everything.“ She confided in him. “I want us to be so close it’s like we’re sharing the same skin.“ She smiled fondly at him. “You know, your like some lethal black panther all sleek and beautiful looking to the world all harmless and relaxed as you lay sunning yourself without a care in the world.” She added. “But like tonight on the docks you can easily bare your claws and go for the jugular without a moment’s notice.” She moved closer to him and straddled his lap as she ran her hands down his chest. “And I really liked it.”

“What are you talking about?” He peeked an eye open to look at her.

“On the docks when I was talking to one of Sorel’s slaves I could feel your jealous rage burning out of control inside of you.” She told him with relish. “If he had so much as touched me you would have killed him where he stood. You think of me as yours and only yours and you’ll kill anyone who tries to take me away from you.”

“And that pleases you?” He asked, running his hands up her sleek back.

“Of course.” She smiled. “You do know what this insane possessiveness of yours towards me means, don’t you? We haven’t been together that long but you’re already starting to fall in love with me.”

“Oh, brother.” He rolled his eyes in disgust. “Whether mortal or vampire a female is still a female.”

“Just what is that supposed to mean?” She narrowed her eyes at him.

“Females are always talking about love.” He replied in a disgusted tone. “They always have to make more out of something than it is. Why can’t they just view love for what it really is. Great sex and nothing more.” He added. “Personally, I don’t think there is any such thing as love. One look at the divorce rate will tell you that. Mortals marry claiming to be in love, then a few years down the line they get a divorce and marry someone new they’re in love with.”

“That’s why I refuse to go through with one of those silly mortal marital ceremonies that comes with a way out in case things don‘t work out or if they find something better than what they have somewhere down the line.” Carly replied as she settled herself more comfortably in his lap. “That’s why I insist we marry in a vampire marriage ceremony. That way it will be for all time.” She added. “We’ll belong to each other for all eternity. There won‘t be any outs for either of us. And that‘s exactly what I want for both of us. ” She trailed kisses down his chest. “No escape clauses. No outs. Nothing but you and I together forever.”

“Just what is supposed to happen in this ceremony anyway.” Sonny sighed in pleasure. “How is it so different from the mortal marital ceremony. I’ve heard of it. All vampires have heard of it, but only in a very vague way. I have no idea what goes into it.” He looked deeply into her eyes as he ran his hands up her body. “So, maybe it’s time you told me just what I‘m going to have to do to make you totally mine.”

“I don’t know exactly what goes into it myself.” She admitted as she pressed her body against his and nibbled on his neck.

“And yet you keeping going on and on about it?” He got angry as he put some distance between them. “The way you keep going on about how it’s the ultimate thing I thought you could quote chapter and verse on it.”

“I just know what I’ve heard.” She told him trying to recapture the closeness they were sharing just moments ago. “That it’s the way vampires mate for life and after two vampires go through it they become one entity like the mortal marriage ceremony is supposed to make two people into one. Only in the vampire ceremony it isn‘t in a spiritual way. It‘s supposed to be in a physical way because vampires are such physical creatures.” She added. “I intend to go down to the library tomorrow and read up on it at the same time I do some research to find out if two vampires have ever had a child together before and what the results were. Then we can both start to prepare ourselves for both our marriage and the birth of our child.”

“You’re still worried about the baby?” He reached out and placed his hand over the space where the baby was growing inside her and the baby kicked him. “Whoa! What was that.”

Carly smiled at him. “The baby making himself known.” She leaned down and kissed him. “Like me, he craves your touch.”

He got back to the subject at hand. “You haven’t said anything else about it since we left the cave. You seemed to shake your gloom off. So I thought you’d gotten over it.”

“Sonny, I’m a vampire.” She replied. “I’ve learned to make lemonade out of lemons. We have no idea what I’ll give birth to, but whatever it is we’ll love it because we made it together. Like you said in the cave people think of us as monsters because they don’t understand us. We know how that feels so no matter what our baby is like we’ll love it and accept it for what is is the same way we have each other.” She sighed. “Add to that, Sorel is trying to enslave my mother and make her another of his legion of the damned. Even if we find her in time, there’s really little we can do to stop it from happening. When Sorel calls my mother to him she‘ll want to go to him. The desire to be with him will be so strong, she’ll be willing to kill anyone who tries to stop her.” She picked the bath sponge up out of the water as she stared hotly into his eyes. “So instead of concentrating on the things I can’t change.” Then wrung it out over his chest. “I prefer to concentrate on the good things in my life.”

Sonny arched his back slightly as the water ran over his body. “You mean me?” He asked in a husky tone.

“yes, I mean you.” She looked around” Oh, Damn, the soap is way across the room. I wanted to play Geisha and bathe you.”

“Don’t worry.” He said as he closed his eyes and relaxed. “I’ll get it for you.”

Carly’s eyes nearly popped out of her head as the soap suddenly floated through the air and landed directly in her hand. “You can do that too?”

“I’ve been able to levitate things since I was a child.” He confessed. “I’ve gotten so good at it I don’t really have to put much effort into it any longer. It‘s so nice I‘m with someone I don‘t have to hide my powers from. For the first time in my life I can just be myself with you.” He added with a wicked smile. “You should see me levitate myself. Maybe I‘ll demonstrate it to you while were making love.” He held her face in his hands. “Do you think you’re up to making love in mid-air?”

“Wait a minute.” She narrowed her eyes in anger. “You could have levitated up to me when I was trapped in that tree instead of making me unfasten my parachute and land in your arms.” She punched him in the arm. “Why didn’t you?”

“Because it wouldn’t have been as much fun as having you land on me.” He told her. “Sometimes it much more fun doing things the mortal way.”

“All right.” Carly demanded. “I want you to start showing me this instant how I can tap into my vampire powers. I want us to be total equals in all things. I won‘t have you knowing how to do things that I don‘t.”

“What about bathing me?” He asked in disappointment. “I was kind of looking forward to it. I haven‘t been bathed since I was a child, and I‘m sure I‘ve never been bathed in the way you have in mind.”

“First, you show me how to do that trick you just pulled.” She insisted. “Then I’ll bathe you. Consider it a reward. In fact, I think that’s how we’ll handle this thing between us. Every time you teach me something new, I’ll reward you for it in a very inventive way if you get my meaning.”

He did. “All right. “ He sighed. “If you insist.” He looked lazily around the room. “See that bottle of baby oil over there. We can have some fun giving each other baby oil massages. Just look at it and concentrate on what you want it to do and that‘s all there is to it.”

Carly stared at it and at first nothing happened. “Nothing’s happening. It‘s not working.” She complained.

“Just Let your mind go free.” He instructed as he nibbled on her neck. “Picture in your mind the bottle of baby oil floating from the counter over to you.”

She did as he suggested. It began to rock violently back and forth on the bathroom counter until it suddenly went hurtling through the air and smashed against the wall. “I think you put a little too much oomph into that. So much for us giving each other sensual messages.” He added. “But that wasn’t bad for a first try. Keep practicing at it and you‘ll have it mastered in no time at all.”

“My god, Sonny.” Carly said in shock. “I did it. I actually did it. “ She threw herself into his arms. and began to kiss him. “Do you know how powerful I feel.”

“I lived up to my end of the bargain.” He told her as he handed her the bath sponge. “Now it’s your turn to live up to yours. Bathe me.”

He laid back against the tub as she soaped up the sponge. “It’ll be my pleasure.”

On the street below Sonny’s penthouse Dorman and Harry stood staring up at the penthouse. “When should we make our move against them?” Dorman asked.

Harry looked up at the night sky. It was already starting to lighten. “It’ll be dawn soon.” He looked back up at the penthouse. “They’ll have to retire soon.”

“Do you know where Corinthos stays during the day?” Dorman inquired.

“Somewhere in his penthouse.” Harry answered. “vampires never trust anyone enough to reveal where their resting place is during the day. It’s the one time they’re totally vulnerable and defenseless. But I’m sure it’s somewhere in Sonny’s penthouse.”

“Then we’ll wait until we’re sure they’re both at rest.” Dorman decided. “Then we’ll make our move against them. We’ll have to be quick though. Their under the protection of the witches and if they detect we’re trying to harm them, they’ll try to stop us.”

Upstairs in Sonny’s bathroom Sonny and Carly laid boneless in the tub. After Carly had bathed him, he had returned the favor and bathed her. It was a bath neither one would ever forget. But now it was time to rise and retire for the day. They climbed out of the tub too tired to even bother toweling themselves off. Padding into the bedroom they decided to let the air dry their bodies naturally. Carly crawled between the sheets watching as Sonny went around to all the windows and the doors lowering the metal barriers that would keep the sun from the room. When he was finished the room was as dark as a tomb, but because of her vampire eyes Carly could see him as clearly as if the sun were shining on him. As he came towards the bed she held back the sheets and he crawled in bed next to her.

Carly draped herself across his chest and sighed tiredly. “I used to hate this part of the day before I was with you because it was the one time of the day when I was totally alone and isolated. But now I look forward to it because I know when I wake up you‘ll be with me.” She added as he reached up and kissed her tenderly. “I was a fool to want Jason when all this time I could have had you.” Then they both feel into a deep, coma-like sleep unaware that Harry and Dorman were making their way inside the penthouse at that moment seeking to destroy them both as they slept.