~Chapter Seventy-Six~

     Alex stirred against Azarius and peered at the alarm clock sitting beside the bed.  After their long love making, both had curled up under the passion soaked sheets and fallen into dreams.  Now it was almost seven-thirty and the sun had fallen beneath the rim of the earth.

     With a soft moan, Alex rolled out from the protection of Azarius' arm and wrapped her arms quickly across her naked breasts as the chill evening air touched her.  "Wake up," she mumbled to Azarius and slipped her housecoat from the back of a chair and pulled it on her pale arms.  Her nearly black hair spilled against the shoulders of the silk housecoat, mixing beautifully with the dark crimson fabric.

     Azarius' green eyes opened and he gazed up at Alex, lust still glistening in his eyes.  He sat up in bed, the sheets falling to his hips and Alex had to use every ounce of will to keep from letting her eyes wander from his handsome face for fear that their afternoon would be repeated again.

     "Come back to bed," Azarius breathed seductively, patting the bed beside him.

     Reluctantly, Alex moved over to the bed and kneeled against the sheets beside Azarius, her lips perched close to his cheek.  Slowly, she dropped her forehead to rest against his soft cheek and licked his jawline lovingly.  "We have to go somewhere," Alex mumbled, her lips brushing Azarius' cheek with every word.

     "Has there been another murder?" Azarius asked and Alex shook her head just enough that Azarius could feel her skin move against his.  "Then where do we have to go?"

     "I was hoping that we could just go out for a night on the town," Alex mumbled again.  "You know, take a vacation way from executing vampires and now away from these murders.  Remember a few months ago that club StarSix opened up but we were in the middle of searching for that rogue vampire?"

     "Yeah I remember, and you were really disappointed because you wanted to go to the opening," Azarius answered, turning his face just enough that his lips brushed Alex's.

     "I thought perhaps we could go tonight," Alex said and leaned back, looking at Azarius with pleading eyes.  "It might clear our heads and let us get a better idea on some things."

     "Ok," Azarius said and slipped out from under the covers, the air hitting his body, making him shiver.  He pulled on his own house coat, and walked into the bathroom.  "Care for a shower before we go?" he asked from the doorway.

     "Only if it's with you," Alex chortled and slipped the housecoat from her shoulders and walked towards Azarius, her hips swinging softly.  Azarius turned on the shower and the two stepped into the warm stream of water, their lips interlocked, Azarius' hands roaming Alex's body lovingly.

~Chapter Seventy-Five~

     Bryan lifted the lid of his coffin and slid out into the cool early evening air.  The lid to Angel's coffin was still closed and he slowly ambled over and lifted the lid, looking down into her beautiful pale face, framed by silken golden hair.  Her eyes opened suddenly and Bryan stepped back in surprise and fear.

     "Good to see that you've joined the world of the unliving," he chuckled as Angel clambered out of her coffin.  She shot him a deadly glare and he put his hands up defensively.

     "I had the weirdest dream," Angel said once she was free of her coffin and her clothing was straightened against her body.  "There was this demon and he told us that Aiden had joined forces with him."

     "Strange, I had the same dream," Bryan mused, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion.  "And you were there, in a beautiful dress and I think you were wearing a corset."

     "Then it wasn't a dream," Angel said and turned to Bryan, her eyes wide in fright.

     "That's right," came Aiden's voice from the doorway and the couple turned to see him, dressed all in white and gold, his black hair drastic against his pale skin and cold clothes.  "Varimathras offered that we join in business and I agreed for the sake of my safety, and the safety of all the vampires in this town.  He is very powerful and I will not risk my people to have said no.  You must understand the reasoning, even if you cannot accept it."

     "I won't accept it," Angel growled and Aiden turned dark eyes to her, but there was no malace held in that gaze, only sadness.  That one look made Angel shut her mouth and forget all the anger she had felt towards Aiden moments ago.  It was the first time in all the years that she had been turned that a look had made her forget her anger.  Not even when Aiden looked at her with a malicious look did it make her stop; but it was his look of sadness and disappointment, he realized, that made her question her motives.

~Chapter Seventy-Four~

     Varimathras was sprawled across an elegant blood red chaise lounge, his wings folded against his back and Itep standing at his head looking only as a body guard could look.  Itep's thick, golden biceps bulged as he crossed his arms over his chest, appearing more menacing than he had only moments before.

     "Itep," Varimathras cooed and turned his head slightly "bring out the creature."

     "Yes, master," Itep replied instantly and turned on one heel, light glimmering on his bald head.  The man moved swiftly towards the back of the room towards the stone walls and the tapestry hanging along the wall.  When the tapestry was pulled back, thick silver bars were revealed and behind the bars darkness so thick it appeared as though it were touchable.  Two green eyes flickered into life in that darkness and Itep stepped back, but not before a hand reached out and grabbed his wrist.

     "Let me out of here," a deep growly voice commanded bitterly.  Itep used his other hand to pry the fingers off his wrist one by one, and he winced when he saw that his wrist was covered in red blotches.

     "Yes, Itep," Varimathras said from his chaise lounge, "let Kreeper out of his cage.  He has a score to settle with me."

     "That I do, Varimathras," the voice came and Itep looked from his master to the glowing green eyes in the alcove.

     "Make the creature promise that he will not attack me when I open the cage," Itep said, the set of heavy brass keys dangling from his thickly muscled hand.  Varimathras turned to the cage and looked into the green eyes.

     "Kreeper?" he asked in a tone that threw so much menace into that one word.

     "You have my word that I will not attack your human servant, but as for you Varimathras, there is no promise that I will not attack you," Kreeper responded and fell back into the shadows, allowing Itep to unlock the cage door.  In one swift movement, Kreeper charged the door and spilled out into the room.

     He was nearly eight feet tall, and very human looking, but if one looked closer it was evident that Kreeper was covered in miniscule opalescent scales that shimmered slightly.  In the middle of his forehead was a large emerald that glittered in the faint light in the room, and in the center of Kreeper's chest was a pulsing gem that was nearly a blood red.

     Slowly, Kreeper's glowing green eyes swivelled to Varimathras who was still sprawled across the chaise lounge.  "You are not safe," he growled and spurng forward, his hands outstretched and eyes narrowed.  When Kreeper was about a foot from Varimathras, the demon held up his hand and Kreeper stopped in mid-air, his hands grappling towards Varimathras.

     "Kreeper, I am not as weak as I was before and you alone cannot stop me," Varimathras crowed, and clenched his hand into a fist.  At that simple movement, Kreeper's eyes widened and his hands stopped grappling towards Varimathras and instead went to his throat, clawing at it in an amimal like way.

     When the monster began to turn a soft blue in color, Varimathras opened his fist and Kreeper fell to the floor, gasping for air.  Varimathras stood, his wings snapping out to either side with a loud crackling sound.  "You will serve for me, Kreeper," he said.

     "I will never serve for someone as evil as yourself," Kreeper grasped out, still clutching at his throat.

     "Soon, you will think differently," Varimathras said and made a small movement towards Itep.  The man stepped forward and dragged the monster back into the shelter of the alcove.

~Chapter Seventy-Three~

     When they were done, Azarius lifted Alex out of the bathtub and wrapped her lovingly in a towel, and carried her into the bedroom.  There were black rose spread over the blood red sheets, and Azarius carefully laid Alex among the rose petals, digging out two new candles and placing them on the night stands by the bed and lighting them.

     Thankfully the curtains were thick and black and cut out a lot of the sunlight, giving the illusion of dusk.  Pressing a button on the remote Alex kept on her bedside table, Azarius turned on the stereo and soft, romantic, melodious music filled the room.

     Azarius crawled onto the bed, and ran a hand lovingly along Alex's leg.  She drew it closer to her body, and grabbed Azarius' hand.  A soft, sensual smile caressed her crimson lips, and she slowly began to stroke the back of his hand.  With a smile that matched Alex's, Azarius crawled farther up the bed, kneeling perfectly over Alex, his knees just lightly touching her body.  His hands travelled along the top of the towel, lightly touching the soft skin of Alex's chest, and in one quick movement, Azarius grasped the towel in his grasp, and opened it, exposing the pale flesh beneath.

     With a soft shudder that ran the length of his body, Azarius buried his head in the skin of Alex's stomach, kissing around her navel.  Every inch of her was perfect in his mind; perfectly pale, full beautiful crimson lips, naturally dark hair, and a sensual smile that could melt a room.

     Azarius leaned into Alex and pressed his lips against her, feeling her teeth against his lips.  Carefully he drew Alex's bottom lip between his teeth and gently bit along the soft skin, drawing a moan from her.  "I love you," she mumbled against him and wrapped her arms tightly around him, her hands playing along the muscles in his shoulders.  Azarius' hands travelled expertly along Alex's skin to her favorite spots, the small of her back, and the hollow of her throat.

     The candlelight danced along their bodies, glinting off the beads of water that hadn't dried.  Azarius carefully drew Alex's body against him, his lips pressing against her roughly.  In the background, soft music filtered through the room and the two moved their bodies slowly in rhythm to it.

Some say love is not for sinners
I believe that isn't true
'Cause when I was finished sinning
Love came down and showed me you.