Dangerous Duets ~ Incubus and his Muse (Closed for Veroe)

IC: Canaan Alexander and Persephone Alexander

Deep in the heart of downtown of the city, amidst all the hustle and bustle of taxis and pedestrians there was a little used side street leading to a dead end. And at the end of the cul de sac was a building of gothic architecture with gargoyles as silent sentinels and . Some say it was an old church or a particularly spooky hotel, others a museum of some sort, but no one knew for certain because few ever entered inside, and those that did never spoke of what they found inside. And few ever asked them for those that came and went inside the building what went on inside.

And they would never answer, such questions from the idly curious. For the large building with gargoyles and gothic arched doorways but no signs or any indications of its functions was the homebase of a group unknown to the normal people of the city. There were two types of citizens. The humans and the fey, hidden and secretive and plethora in their variety, but divided into two competing factions: The light fey and the dark fey.

The unmarked building in the heart of downtown within the city was the headquarters of the dark fey. From here the fey affiliated with the dark found governance, support, supplies, and redress of wrongs done to them.



Canaan drove down to the front doors looking at the main doors of the building. He glanced up to the gargoyles on the roof, the perfect sentries-appearing as nothing but statues until an intruder approached, and then one would find statues could move.

Nonchalantly he strode through the glass doors and into the vaulted foyer of the building. Here and there were fey climbing the stairs or walking into offices. A skin-walker accountant, a vampire resource manager, a katsui mailgirl, all walking around showing fangs or skin flaps or tail freely within the sanctuary of the building.

He entered the elevator and took it to the top floor down the hall to Persey's office. Office was a bit of a stretch to call it that. It was more like a throne room. Massive in size with a large circular stained glass window over looking the cul de sac and the busy thoroughfare outside. Along the walls there were some filing cabinets a wetbar, a display case for the sacred seed of the tree of forbidden knowledge. Before the window was a large mahogany desk and a throne-like chair, but his sister was not in it. Sitting in it was a man typing at her computer for her on her emails there were at least seventeen other people, all dressed in Armani designer suits busied about the office.

These were Persey's thralls. They were ordinary men (Since his sister preferred keeping men over women, though one or two were women from those few times when she felt like playing in the lesbian side of the pool) that had caught her attention. So Persey had sucked them into a whirlwind seduction through marathon sex-sessions and the subtle manipulation of their energy and just the unrelenting force of her personality made them give up all of the things that made them unique for her. After a process that took a different amount of time for them all they had sacrificed their souls piece by piece upon the altar of staying with her they became thralls to her.

They were all the same, homogenized, lifeless puppets doing whatever whim his sister told them to perform for her without reservation to what they themselves may or may not desire.

Thralls made Canaan's skin crawl. They always had ever since the morning of his eleventh birthday and he had woken with the same leather jacket he now wore covering him. And there was a note written to him saying how proud he was to have Canaan as a son. In the jacket's pocket was a key to a storage locker containing the same Harley he had rode on now. His mother, the original Lilith, had kept many thralls serving her hand and foot including one who happened to be his father.

Canaan had never learned which one it was. His mother had disliked motorcycles and bikers, viewing them as noisy and dangerous. She like Persey did now preferred clean-cut high-class men in designer clothing. So the biker that was Canaan's biological father lost all of that to become what his mother preferred of him and all of her thralls. So whichever one he was blended into the identical harem of thralls doting over his mother in the house growing up.

Still, keeping his most prized possessions in a storage locker as well as feeling a paternal instinct towards Canaan showed a remarkable and shocking level of independence in whichever one of his mother's thralls was his father. The same morning his mother had dismissed all of her thralls because of his father's independent actions. Without her to be the purpose to their twisted lives each one had committed suicide by the end of that week, and forever denying him the chance to know the real person his father had been.

Incubi like him were expected to collect larger and more extravagant harems of thralls than his mother or Persey ever would. Historically speaking they were worse than every Succubi combined at taking and twisting and defiling whomever they wanted into devoted lifeless zombies of thralls. But Canaan never would.

The prospect made him want to take a bath with very abrasive soap.

He crossed over from the doorway to the circle of chairs before the desk. Persey, his older sister, lay back upon a chaise lounge like some modern version of Cleopatra. She was dressed in her usual business attire: Dress shirt, jacket, and skirt, but they were tight sheer and short enough to be the businesswoman from a teenager's wet dreams.



One kneeling thrall a tall and lean black man that Canaan remembered had once been a hard core gangbanger had taken off the ridiculously high stillettos Persey always strutted around in and was giving her a foot rub he was completely absorbed in. Another one was holding open a file for her to review. Another holding a bowl of grapes to feed her. One of the few girls Persey had collected as a thrall took the empty martini glass from her while another was at the wet bar mixing another for their mistress.

"Canaan," She said as he approached her, "This is a surprise. After I tried to warn you about the danger of keeping your human pet you said you never wanted to see me again."

"Her name is Naomi," He growled.

"Does that matter now that a machine is breathing for her-pumping her blood for her," She waved off the thralls holding her report to read, and the grapes to glare back at him, "Now-a-days her name is a drain upon our funds. Your pet girlfriend had no family, no friends...the only reason those penyypinchers at that HMO hasn't decided to pull the plug on her is you and the fact that I'm footing their bills for your mistake with her. So a little gratitude from my baby brother would be welcome right now."

He glowered at her the last time he had seen his big sister they had argued over the wisdom of him staying in a human-style relationship with Naomi. He had thrown her out. Then it was only a few weeks later that he had fucked up and took too much of Naomi's energy leaving her a vegetable at county general.

"Fine," Canaan bit out, "You were right and I was wrong. Thank you for taking care of her for me."

"I suppose that will do..." Her eyes narrowed looking him over, "You look like dogshit. Who have you been feeding off of?"

"I can't," He said heavily flopping into one of the chairs facing hers, "Not after what I did to Naomi."

"Well I can fix that," She said snapping her fingers to the thrall holding her report for her, "Hot lips, go give my brother a blow job."

Hot lips put down the folder and rose to his feet saying, "As you wish Persephone."

Hot lips name was John. Canaan remembered him from when he had been his sister's current conquest. He had been a trust fund womanizer, until he had hit Persey's radar. Now he had willingly ceded all his money to her, and lived his life in the hope of Persey so much as speaking to him. Too bad she had completely forgotten his name or anything about him other than the one feature he still had that so much as captured her attention.

John had also been a very homophobic man before Persey had stripped that from him too. Now he was crossing over to Canaan wetting his lips. Not because he enjoyed blowing a guy off-the distaste for it was still there, but because following Persey's orders was the central focus of his life now...

"Persey," He said raising his leg and kicking hot lips back from him, "You know how I feel about thralls."

"Fine," She snapped her fingers again, "Hot lips forget blowing off my prude of a brother."

"As you wish Persephone," The man whose name used to be John returned to his place by her knelt and reopened the report for her.

Thralls gave Canaan the creeps, and they always would.

"I didn't come here to get you to give me some food," He told Persey, "I met someone."

"Oh," Persey raised an eyebrow. She had always seen herself as the person responsible for hooking him up with someone. Unfortunately her idea of the perfect person for him were Nymphs or pornstars-which to be honest were definitely good in the sex dept. but seriously disappointing in the rest of the day. "That's good so why haven't you fucked her yet."

"I think she is of the light."

She laughed then, "And you always hated Shakespeare in school. Seriously Canaan, what's with you and the whole star-crossed lovers thing?"

"I think," He began, "I think she's entering my dreams."

She suddenly stopped laughing and sat up all levity vanished from her. "Those self-righteous bastards are attacking you? Is this to get to me?"

"Actually," He shook his head, "I've been rescuing her from her nightmares."

"That's so you," She said in relief, "You always loved playing the knight in shining armor for your conquests."

"I said I can't feed from anybody, Persey," He replied, "The risk is too great."

"You need to, little brother," She told him concerned, "You look like your wasting away. The hunger has to be almost overwhelming for you. You should just fuck this light fey girl before you snap and put someone in the hospital besides your last pet."

"Just save the lecture and tell me about her."

"I can send you a Nymph, maybe two or three," She suggested. That concern for the last of her family growing, "This light fey girl...she's not gonna be a one night stand for you is she...don't jump into the pool between us and them, Canaan...if you do you'll drown."

"I can always go ask Mathias for the information."

She stopped and looked at him like he had just stepped on her cat but then laughed, "Look at my darling goody-two-shoes little brother trying to use big nasty politics to get what he wants."

"Persey-" He began but she raised a hand to stop him.

"Just give me the name."

"It's Karena," He told her.

She paused her brow wrinkiing, "I've heard that name earlier this week, but not among the light." She turned and snapped her fingers to the thrall at her computer, "Dimples, look up the name under unaligned fey."

"As you wish Persephone."

"Unaligned," Canaan asked, "I didn't think anyone could be unaligned."

"They can't," She sniffed, "She needs to decide whose side she wants to be on."

"I have it Persephone," Dimples said pointing to the screen.

Persephone walked over to it and looked at the screen then looked at him and smiled. Canaan knew that smile. Something had gotten into her head. "Canaan, how would you like a new girlfriend?"

"After Naomi...I can't," He shook his head, "I came here just to find out if she was slipping into my dreams."

"Don't give me that," She said crossing her arms and glaring at him, "You wouldn't have come to see me, or threatened to go to that mother fucking bastard, Mathias, if this Karena hadn't gotten to you in a bad way."

He pursed his lips. She had a point. "I won't seduce her to get her to join the dark fey for you."

"Oh you won't, will you," She leaned back against the desk and glared down at him even harder. "Then I will just stop paying for your girlfriend's life support."

"You wouldn't," He shot up out of his chair, "You do and that and this is goodbye to the last of your family after Mom got assassinated. I won't ever come back to you."

She turned and began to write down her address from the screen. "I won't ask you to do anything. I won't have to. She's a muse, Canaan, one of the few species that can survive us. You need to feed and she needs the protection we can give her." She held out the paper for him.

"Don't," He told her looking down at the page, "I just came here to find out about her."

"Fine," She said taking the page and tearing it in half, "Go beat yourself up because you were stupid enough to try and be something you're not with that human girl. Waste away. Starve to death for all I care."

"Just give me it, Persey," He growled pulling the torn paper from her hands looking down.

"Then you agree to bring her into the fold," She asked, "We can use someone with a muse's abilities."

"No way," He looking at the address on the page. A muse? Someone who could survive him?

"I'm not asking as your sister, Canaan," She pointed a finger into his chest, "You've been getting a free ride because you're my baby brother. It's time you start doing your part."

"Go to hell," He bit out turning for the door. It was a mistake to go to Persey for help.

"Canaan," She called out after him, "I can tell...you've got her on the hook. All you need to do now is to reel her in."

He left cursing his sister. They had fought all the time as kids, argued. She had always loved to take his toys and his dates. They'd make up after a while. They were family, the only family they had left.

He would check out Karena, but he wouldn't seduce her-not for Persey or the dark fey. He left the building and climbed atop his father's Harley. Feeling comforted by its deep guttural roar.

Who the hell was he kidding? He was going after her because like Persey had said, he already had her on the hook (or maybe it was the other way around or maybe they had eachother hooked) and now that he knew he wouldn't hurt her, and that she wasn't on the light's side...

What would it be like to be unaligned? To be free? He envied Karena that feeling.

Karena

Leaving the riverfront she returned home and decided that the only way to forget about Canaan was to envelope herself in a major project. Preferably something on another continent. Then it hit her... The video offer... Barcelona would be far enough away and with that stunning duo to feed from surely that would keep her mind far far away from Canaan and the hunger he seems to draw out in her. Quickly picking up the phone she placed the call.

Hello love... Yes I know how late it is there and I know how much of a pair of night owls you two are. The offer for the video still open? It is... Well then I can be there tomorrow at least for a few days of planning. Alright... see you then...

Hanging up the phone she smiled and made her way upstairs to pack and prepare for for her trip. Airline arrangements and very careful clothing choices This had better work she thought to herself hoping against hope that a few days away would cure her of this strange hunger Canaan brought out in her.

Malia and Azen



Malia sat back in the courtyard of her "Kingdom" As the current Castali of the light fey it was almost like a kingdom. Its own standing security and caretakers as well as her advisor and aid Azen who was never far away Walked along the main path talking to one of the various "Eyes" about the city.



Azen...



Malia called to him very wary of anyone getting around her bonded adviser. The Venomous stare at the siren talking to Azen till seeming airhead distraction as she sighed and talking to what appeared to be no one.

What now? Fine I know... I KNOW!

Azen sighed and seemed to shoo away whoever she was being disrupted by.

Yeas Malia... You called My Castali?

She smiled to him so formal the business hours.

Yes... what have we learned about the unaligned one?

She is at minimum a Muse but there is something else about her... so far none of our eyes about town have seen anything other than her artistic sway over her selected prey.

I want the muse Azen... Get me the muse...

Azen just smiled and walked with her back into the main building.

As you wish...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Audra, Andrina and the messenger



Audra sighed inhaling the fragrances of the bath. Ancient herbs and oils long lost to the mortals of this world. A smile slowly graced her lips as her mind wandered briefly to something or someone who often such smiles to her face for so many centuries.



All too soon a knock at the door at the top of the old wooden steps and her life long Guard and friends voice calling to her.

Audra... you have a messenger here with news you will need to hear and decide how you wish me to deal with it.

A barely seen splash to the water brought a soft chuckle and wink from Audra as she quickly straightened up and answered.

Enter Andrina and escort the messenger in as well.



Andrina made her way down stairs leading the messenger a sleek black cat who slowly while bowing before Audra transformed into a half feline half human female.

Lady Audra... you were to be notified of either the light or the dark fey questioned or planned anything toward the unaligned guardian of the badlands...

Audra nodded though her features became cold already pondering what Percy or Maila could have planned for the Muse and just how much they knew about her and what she was.

Yes yes go on...

They know that the Unaligned one is a Muse and that merely shrinks their breed and tribal choices down to a mere handful but both seem to be compiling data on her... what should we do?

The half feline half woman now towering over both of them but still partly bowed looked down at them curious Her tribe was banned from battling for either side but they could aid in other ways and to aid Audra was their only plan... much to the disappointment of the Succubus and the spirit speaker.

Audra thought long and hard on this then spoke.

Have more of your brethren claim territory in the badlands... She frequents the riverfront. have some of your more "Protective" ones there alpha's or not... they will share that region at my request.

The feline nodded and dropping back down to a simple feline form she bolted away from the water and the private sanctuary of Audra.

Andrina sighed arms crossed and leaped up to crouch on the railing and began sharpening her katana.

I told you the unaligned one was going to bring trouble... Percey's mother would at least listen to reason but Percey nor that arrogant male of hers listen to no one unless it give them vantage over the other... Now what?

Audra laughed a little and walked over to her guard placing a motherly hand on the woman's hand.

Speak with that little computer child... what is her name.. Evie... have her monitor or peek around the computers We need to know just how much they know but do not let the muse fool you... there is a side of her that I feel certain neither of them will want to incur after they see it in actions. Now... I will be fine and meditate on this turn of events... If I have not returned to the bar in a couple of hours knock on the door.

Andrina sighed but hopping down and bowing low she spoke

As you wish My Queen...

With that she was gone and Audra moved to the water and slowly stepping in to the depths of the hot bath she smiled.

Tell me what you think... I feel certain that our young unaligned Muse does in fact wield another energy... I just can't place it... yet... she could be of your line or of the Desert serpent muses... beyond that I do not think that she could be of the other muse races... Time will tell... it always does.

The water within the ancient massive bath seemed to lap and wave softly against her as if in some strange answer or soothing massage.

IC: Canaan Alexander

Karena's address was deep within the city just on the edge of the waterfront. It was in an area known to the Fey both light and dark in the region as the badlands. No one knew why, or that was to say everyone had a story why it was called that but not one of the stories agreed. A good deal of them contradicted eachother, or was just too unrealistic to be plausible.

One thing was certain about the badlands magic (or the traditions that passed with the overly-simplistic label of magic among the Fey clans) went sideways out here. Say a spell a witch or warlock was casting to locate that missing sock from the dryer would instead focus on the sheep the wool the made the sock came from or scrying spells would show a mirror reflection of the scryer instead of the person being spied upon. There were dozens of occurences where things had gone wrong or missing out here, like a miniature Bermuda triangle.

Also it had a somewhat deserving reputation for rough customers. The human police had arrested several gangmembers that had migrated here from the slums even deeper inside the city's fetid heart. All in all the Badlands was an area that was largely overlooked or actively avoided by both human and fey.

Hopefully the weird voodoo out here would hold off on fouling things up for him today.

Canaan pulled his father's Harley up to Karena's house. It was a quaint little house. Despite the neighborhood the word the word that came to mind was Idyllic. All it was really missing would be the white picket fence to become the cliché.

He climbed off the Harley and walked up to the front door. He took a calm steadying breath and knocked. Nothing happened.

He waited with the worrying setting in.

What was he doing? This was a mistake. How would Karena react when she learns who he was...what he was...who his sister was? He wasn't going to try and seduce her to the darkside, of course. Or was he just deceiving himself? He was here, and he was hoping to seduce her. Maybe he was letting his hunger do his thinking for him here? Then there was the small matter of him and Naomi. Could he get into a relationship with Karena after he had fucked up the only real one he'd ever had so monumentally. If she was game for that was he prepared for it? It would be safer if it were just a one time thing. Just wham bam thank you ma'am, and good bye. He'd get food and she'd get a night she'd always look back on with a smile. It was the least he could do for her.

And Jesus, going up to her house uninvited to ask her if it was ok that they have a one night stand? Could he come across any more as a creep to her? How would he explain how he knew where she lived? Add Creepy stalker to the list of terrible first impressions he could give her. This was a mistake. A monumental mistake. He should just go now before-

The door knob turned and the door swung open.

He smiled and made a nervous laugh as he peered into those eyes again. Was it a crime to have eyes as deep brown as hers? Seemed like there should at least be some sort of fine involved.

"Uh, hi." He glanced back to his father's bike then to her, "I thought we could talk."

She was packed and ready to go. A week in Barcelona would take her mind and hunger off of Canaan it had to for her own sanity. She opened the front door to the old Victorian home in what for her was a safe region of town called the badlands. Light and Dark Fey both tried to avoid the area whenever possible and it always seemed to be possible. She loved the house and its history.

Long before even Berto this house had been a grand home in a blossoming town. Even when Berto owned it he had people tend to it to keep it perfect. His words were let it show age like a grand lady but always "healthy and proper" It was her home and she left his orders with the grounds and building people just as he had. While it was no longer the grand region of town and long left in the towns history she never worried about the declining neighborhood and they tended to leave her alone too.

An addition to the back of the house she had transformed into a studio for the artists she drew to her to inspire and feed from. The main house was still stunning even with the "tastefully visable" age in a way she was a ghost in those hallways though. Yes she fed and loved to an extent but there was always something blocking her from truly loving anyone... her feeding and the problems it caused. Even with Canaan being a Fey she did not want the added headache of the Fey political lines" So she had to get away till she could not feel the pull to Canaan.

Opening the door she was greeted with a shock... there he stood... those eyes that smile that hunger he touch within her. He spoke she bit her lip standing there with suitcases in hand ready to go.

Canaan... Ummm What do we need to talk about?

She bit her lip and glanced down at the suitcases then back at him.

I... was just getting ready to leave for... for Barcelona. I... I guess I have a little time to talk though.

Gesturing towards the swing on the porch.



Lets talk.

She smiled a little taking a deep breath.

IC: Canaan Alexander

He smiled and made a nervous laugh as he peered into those eyes again. Was it a crime to have eyes as deep brown as hers? Seemed like there should at least be some sort of fine involved.

"Uh, hi." He glanced back to his father's bike then to her, "I thought we could talk."

"Canaan..." She said those criminally beautiful brown eyes widening in surprise to see him, "Ummm What do we need to talk about?"

He followed her gaze as she nervously looked down to a pair of full suitcases in her hands. His heart plummeted in his chest at the sight of them. She was going somewhere. No, he had just met her, and his hunger for her hadn't even begun to be satisfied with her yet. The prospect of waiting longer or worse never getting the chance to taste her.

He swallowed and looked back up at her, "Going some where?"

"I... was just getting ready to leave for... for Barcelona," She replied.

"Spain," He nodded with an note of envy to his voice, "Being unaligned you can come and go without having to ask permission." He looked down to her suitcases, "Do you have time to sit for a minute?"

She gestured to her swing out on the porch outside. "I... I guess I have a little time to talk though."

They went over to the porchswing his eyes following her movements like a cobra followed a snake-charmer. And sat side by side. Self-consciously he clasped his hands together in front of him. Canaan was afraid in the state he was in he'd begin touching her inappropriately and once he started he didn't think he'd be able to stop himself.

Being this close to her was making his hunger for her go nuts.

"Lets talk." She prodded.

He nodded again, "I should apologize for trying to feed from you without telling you before. I'm an incubus and I was lost in the moment, something that happens when I'm very attracted to another person."

"I haven't been able to get you out of my mind. I even think you've been invading my dreams at night," He said the last lightly like the thought was ridiculous. It wasn't too far from the truth either. Canaan didn't think entering another person's dreams was specifically a muse's ability.

He looked down and to his surprise found his hands had clasped around hers. His thumb running slowly along the soft area between her thumb and forefinger. When had he done that? This was not good. He was totally going to screw this up here if he couldn't control himself.

Why had he waited so long before feeding?

"Karena, How long do we have before you have to go?"

What the hell? That was what he had been wanting to say, but that was way more forward sounding than what he had wanted it to sound.

Audra likes me to tell her how long I will be gone.

She sat down one hand still loosely on the suitcase as she set them down and the other hand resting on her lap. It was taking a great deal of focus on his words and her maintaining her seat that hunger she was trying to run so far away from now gnawing on her mind like a wolf on a feast of a meal.

I... I think we both tried to feed off each other without telling the other one. Well Nice to meet you Incubus I am a Muse and let me guess... you have had perhaps minor feelings or need or addiction far earlier than you probably normally would. A tad more creative with your music?

She looked down and saw he was holding her hands and took a deep breath.

Honestly you have had an affect on me that should not have happened till I had fed from you a few times. maybe it was something about your understanding of the music you were performing or that in that mournful respect we are... kindred souls.

Listening more she lifted a brow at hearing she was in his dreams and almost seemed puzzled yet worried.

What sort of dreams Canaan? As for how long we have I can reschedule my flight for tomorrow. This dream thing has me curious as you have been lurking around in mine as well. As if an aspect of the dreams now has a reference point.

She looked down at his hands holding hers and could not imagine it being anything but natural.

I would just need to call the airport and the studio in Barcelona and tell them I will be arriving later than scheduled.

Her eyes moving to look into his realizing the hunger had never been this strong so she was really not sure what to expect if they did feed from each other. However she was willing to find out.

IC: Canaan Alexander

"Karena, How long do we have before you have to go?"

What the hell? That was what he had been wanting to say, but that was way more forward sounding than what he had wanted it to sound.

"What sort of dreams Canaan? As for how long we have I can reschedule my flight for tomorrow. " She replied, "This dream thing has me curious as you have been lurking around in mine as well. As if an aspect of the dreams now has a reference point."

His fingers were tracing lines of her palm. On the face of it it was a seemingly innocent gesture, but right there between the two of them it was loaded with innuendo. It suggested how slow, sensuously, and hungrily his fingers and other body parts would explore, mapping out each and every millimeter of her other body parts.

Canaan found himself leaning over his face inches away from hers. It would be just another heart beat more and he would be kissing her, and somehow Canaan knew that kiss would be the spark that would set them both afire.

He pulled away, letting go of her hand and got up from the swing and from her. Distance, yes distance would be good. The way his hunger was controlling his actions right now...it'd be much safer for both of them if they had a good amount of space between them right now.

"The dreams," He said leaning against her porch railing, "I've never had a nightmare before now. Incubi and Succubi: when we dream its always about sex. It's our body's, our hunger's, way of telling us to feed. Except the last couple have been truly terrible with no sexual component at least not much of one."

She had some sexy long legs. His eyes couldn't help but trace over them from ankle to waist imaging how his fingers and tongue would follow every contour up them and then to the paradise between them, and then up her stoma-

He shook his head trying to enforce a tighter reign on his hunger.

"The one last night: I was in some sort of hotel and heard you being tortured. I tried to break in the door, and when I finally did I found you bound and being savaged by a truly terrible woman with a deeply inky black-lined face and fiery wings sprouting from your back was lighting the entire room on fi-"

The look on her face as he had described it, "-Don't tell me that was exactly what was in your dreams."

He got up and turned to see if his father's bike, his escape should this turn out to be some sort of trap after all. Then he looked back at her. "Is that normal for you, sharing your dreams, because its not for me?"

The woman with the black lined face caused her to freeze.

In my dream I could hear you but I never saw you... I can not share a dream like that it is not any ability of mine that I know of. As for fiery wings I... I don't think I have ever seen anything like that in my dreams. The black lined face that woman has haunted dreams for a long time... Berto was always here to comfort me till he died.

She was scared that he had seen this woman too. Looking to him seeing him look to the bike looked back down at her hands.

Then there is being trapped in darkness like a box or something with a single hole of light... or the creatures with the long claws holding my face still for her to yell NOW over and over at me and I don't know why even in the dream...

She closed her eyes tight her hand holding tight now to that necklace she always wore.

Or the creatures formless faceless always lurking around. I can never outrun them.

Her eyes looked to him again biting her lip. How could he have had dreams about that horrible woman or her? How could they share nightmares? What could this mean?

I... I think I should call and reschedule my flight and tell them I will be a day late or so.

Standing she looked to him again.

Come on in while I make the calls... if you want.

Walking in she left the door open for him and walked over to the side table with her cell phone and picked up the phone calling Barcelona first.

Adan... greetings handsome... I... I have to postpone my flight... a day or so... I will arrive as soon as I can to talk out the video and brainstorm ideas. Thank you... Till then.. Farewell.

Quickly hanging up and calling the airline and taking care of shifting her flight around for the following night. Hanging up she turned around to see if he had walked into the house or not. She strangely hoped he had almost feeling like dealing with the nightmares while awake she needed someone near and with how he made her feel he was just who she needed nearby.

IC: Canaan Alexander


Canaan got up and turned to see if his father's bike was still there. It was his escape should this turn out to be some sort of trap after all. Then he looked back at her. "Is that normal for you, sharing your dreams, because its not for me?"

"In my dream I could hear you but I never saw you..." She replied with a frozen expression of horror, "I can not share a dream like that it is not any ability of mine that I know of. As for fiery wings I... I don't think I have ever seen anything like that in my dreams."

"And the woman," He pressed.

She hesitated and then answered, "The black lined face that woman has haunted dreams for a long time... Berto was always here to comfort me till he died."

He looked at her sitting on her porch swing so alone and fragile and precious in the world. Canaan wanted to walk up to her and wrap her up in his arms and kiss her. Then he'd trail kisses down that delectable long neck while his hands set about freeing her of her Stones' T-shirt. Then he'd-

He had taken two steps towards her.

Whoa there...he had to get his hunger under control. He forced himself back to the railing and turn to look out at his Harley and the street beyond. In the distance he could hear a train crossing blaring as the bass rumble of a freight train crossed it a block away from Karena's house. She lived in a pocket or bubble of safety in an area known for being run down and dangerous and spooky. No wonder she thought she could stay unaligned here. From here it felt like the rest of the world was very very far away indeed.

"Then there is being trapped in darkness like a box or something with a single hole of light..." She continued, "Or the creatures with the long claws holding my face still for her to yell NOW over and over at me and I don't know why even in the dream...Or the creatures formless faceless always lurking around. I can never outrun them."

"The shadow men," He nodded to her over his shoulder, "I tried, but I couldn't stop them from taking you, dragging you into the darkness...I did find you, though."

She got up saying, "I... I think I should call and reschedule my flight and tell them I will be a day late or so." She gestured towards the door. "Come on in while I make the calls... if you want."

She walked back into her house heading for the phone on the living room sofa's end table. Canaan followed in after her, but when he made it through her door he stopped. He hadn't even hesitated in following her inside. Was this his hunger controlling his actions again?

Karena finished her phone calls and turned to him and looking irresistible again. Honestly it should be a crime.

"I know of someone who may help us," He told her, "He's a cyclops, only..." He paused stopping his hand from reaching out to caress her cheek. Canaan took a step back away from her and continued, "He may not help us...because of me being involved...he's of the light fey."

I know who you are talking about... Makarios. I have worked with him before I think I can get him to help us but what can he do? I don't know much about the powers of many fey races as I tend to avoid them due to all the "pick a side pick a side" rubbish.

She watched him and bit her lip. Why was her hunger for him so strong? She had not fed from him yet her hunger was on a level as if she had been feeding from him for a while. It made no sense and with him right here in her house she was wondering if postponing her trip ad been a good thing... She needed distance... distance from those eyes those arms those tender caressing hands. How would they feel tracing over her arms how would he feel resting in her arms... or his essence taste as she fed while he played? STOP her mind screamed to halt those thoughts time to focus on the nightmares and why he is having nightmares about her as well.

Would... you like anything to drink?

IC: Canaan Alexander

"I know of someone who may help us," He told her, "He's a cyclops, only..." He paused stopping his hand from reaching out to caress her cheek. Canaan took a step back away from her and continued, "He may not help us...because of me being involved...he's of the light fey."

"I know who you are talking about... Makarios," She nodded, "I have worked with him before I think I can get him to help us but what can he do? I don't know much about the powers of many fey races as I tend to avoid them due to all the "pick a side pick a side" rubbish."

"He's a Cyclops. If you met him, you'd know he's blind as a bat. All of them are, but they still get around just fine." Canaan tapped his finger against the center of his forehead, "They have no eyes but one...the mind's eye. Our eyes can play tricks on us...Makarios won't be fooled. He only sees the truth, about everything, even this. If this thing about our dreams is real he should be able to see whatever it is causing it."

He walked over to a piano in the other side of the room. It was tucked into the corner with a good view out the windows to the front yard. He ran his fingers over the smooth wood surface. It wasn't dusty and the bench was pulled out.

He looked over to her appreciatively. Piano's weren't for decoration in his opinion. Not like a painting or sculpture. One shouldn't have one tucked away in the corner of their living room just to collect dust and be silent. That was a waste, a tragedy.

"Would... you like anything to drink?"

He nodded. "Yes...water or coffee maybe."

When she went into the kitchen he sat down on the piano bench and lifted the lid off the keys. A piano was not an art piece to make one look sophisticated. It was not even an art piece. It was an easel one painted their masterpieces upon.

He began playing some soft romantic music. As his fingers ran over the keys he pictured her laying atop it in a classy but barely there evening gown listening as he serenaded her with his music. His fingers began to flow one note moving to the next by pure instinct and talent alone.

Canaan's mind was on this new hunger fueled fantasy as the fantasy Karena reached out and stroked his cheek. They kissed as he played, lips opening, tongues twining around eachother. She reached around and pulled down one of the straps of her dress. She lifted the bared breast for him. He kept playing as his lips placed soft tender kisses upon her nipple and the goosebumps of her skin around it.

At the sound she made he stopped and turned to look at her sitting on her sofa. A look on the clock told him what had happened. He had been playing her piano for forty minutes and she had sat back down and listened to him the entire time.

"Can I have that drink now?"

She listened... seeing more the threads of his passion of his art slithering around him. Her hunger roared in her mind. She sat down on the couch trying to maintain some distance as she closed her eyes... maybe if she did not see the threads of his art and soul swirling around him maybe that could hold back the hunger. Her hunger would have no distraction this time alone with him playing the piano her eyes opened as she sighed softly listening to the music as he played.

She moved to stand up when he stopped playing. Straightening her top she smiled taking a deep breath. Moving past him to get to the kitchen she bit her lip. Why did he have to play the piano? Why was her hunger so intent on him? She had to find a way to put as much distance as possible between them but how especially with the fact that he wanted to use the Cyclops to figure out their dream issues.

Sure the coffee should be ready now.

She smiled from the kitchen door not realizing she was moving more sensually due to the music as her foot trailed slowly drawing up to the other foot as she moved from the door way and into the kitchen. Her hair billowing as she turned her head back to glance at him over her shoulder before vanishing into the kitchen. Just a moment later walking back out with two cups of coffee and moving back over to the couch and placing them on the table. The piano was far too old and to have liquids around it was never a good idea as she placed the coffee on the table in front of the couch and curled up pulling her legs beneath her and smiled to him.

Join me...?

IC: Canaan Alexander

"Can I have that drink now?"

She got up and he watched the folds of her stones T-shirt over the curves of her breasts. He had another image of his finger tracing over those curves and circling her areola. Then pinching them through the soft cotton making her gasp.

Instead she turned and headed for the door to the kitchen.

"Sure," She said as she sensually glided over to the door. She stopped to look back at him. "The coffee should be ready now."

He got up and nodded to her noticing the sexy little glide of her foot and imaging his fingers trailing up the length of her long legs.

She entered the kitchen leaving him alone for a moment. Canaan hoped he'd be able to shake some sense into his head in the moment of distance from her.

He sat down in the sofa and tried to get a deep breath, but he sat next to the cushion she had just sat in and could smell the scent of her. She smelled like rock and roll and reggae. It was an arousing scent.

She returned carrying two steaming mugs of coffee. Yet rather than retaking her seat she lifted a leg to straddle his and then lowered to sit in his lap facing him. She stared into his eyes and he was lost in the deep brown sea of her eyes as she lifted one of the mugs to his lips. She tipped the cup and let him take a sip then took the cup away to replace it with her lips. They kissed and his hands traced over the denim of her jeans to her ass. His fingers squeezed the succu-

He was shaken out of the fantasy when the real Karena sat back down on the sofa. Those long legs curling underneath her.

He looked at her then at the cup of coffee she left on the coffee table. He picked up trying not to look over to her. He shouldn't have sat so close to her.

The coffee was hot but exhilarating.

"How do you know Markarios," He said trying to fill the silence between them.

I helped him help a young blind guitarist who was having a hard time with his step parent. An easy fix really but Makarios did not want to have to kill anyone so I helped the young man find the right people to help him get his music as his career and a contract that will not allow his step father to touch a penny of it.

She took a sip of her coffee and smiled. She for a moment could see him leaning closer feeling lips on her neck but the hot coffee in her hand did not let her daydream for long at all. She brushed her hair back behind her ear and watched him.

So you think he could help us? When would you want to go see him about helping us with whatever this is.?

IC: Canaan Alexander

"How do you know Markarios," He said trying to fill the silence between them.

She held her mug in her hands and closed her eyes, "I helped him help a young blind guitarist who was having a hard time with his step parent."

"That sounds like him," He scooted a little further away from her and took a sip of the coffee. The coffee was good. It gave him something to do rather than reaching out and touching her like running his fingers through her hair and leaning in to plant his lips against her cheek and-whoa-put on the brakes there cowboy. "He is always going out of his way to help people, and never asking for thanks or payment...even sometimes someone on my side of our world."

He looked over to her. "How did it go with the blind guitarist?"

"An easy fix, really," She said with the cutest of smiles as she recalled the episode, "But Makarios did not want to have to kill anyone so I helped the young man find the right people to help him get his music as his career and a contract that will not allow his step father to touch a penny of it."

She raised her mug and Canaan watched mesmerized as her lips parted for the lip of the cup as she sipped the coffee. He watched the working of her the muscles of her throat as she swallowed drew him in.

She lowered the mug and looked sidelong to him, "So you think he could help us?"

"He's the only one I can think of that can," He said. He noticed at some point he had scooted towards her. Now he was sitting right beside her so close the side of her leg was touching his. "I know a couple Dreamwalkers, but they feed off nightmares and I don't trust them at all." His hand had found its way onto her thigh. His fingers traced up from her knee up along the denim of her pants, up towards-

"When would you want to go see him about helping us with whatever this is?" She said drawing his eyes up to her face again.

He was focusing on her lips but instead answering her Canaan found himself leaning forward and capturing her lips and his in a kiss. He hung there for a moment before his eyes opened wide noticing now that this was no fantasy again. This kiss was real, and he wanted more...no.

He pulled back to look into her eyes, "I'm sorry...I shouldn't have done that."

Her eyes were half closed at the kiss lips still slightly parted as her eyes slowly opened looking into his eyes.

It... its alright... I...

She just stared into his eyes sinking deeper as thoughts turned to them kissing again and letting clear passions overtake them and their day. Absent she set the mug down moving one of her hands to rest on his and the other hand brushing her hair back from her eyes. A soft smile traced her lips as she watched his eyes as her mind raced with thoughts of his lips and the two of them twinned together in passion and pleasure in her bed. She tried to block the thoughts as she asked again.

When... should we... go?

Her hand that had brushed her hair back now acting of its own free will and resting on his cheek. She stared at her hand as if to command it to return to her control but it took more intent control than she could imagine to bring her hand back to resting on her lap.

IC: Canaan Alexander

He was focusing on her lips but instead of answering her Canaan found himself leaning forward and capturing her lips and his in a kiss. He hung there for a moment before his eyes opened wide noticing now that this was no fantasy again. This kiss was real, and he wanted more...no.

He pulled back to look into her eyes, "I'm sorry...I shouldn't have done that."

"It..." Her eyes half closed widened and focused on him again. It was flattering that his kiss had taken her to that magic land that teenage girls fantasied about boyband members taking them but women quickly learned reality rarely worked out that way. "Its alright... I..."

"No, it's not. I normally am better at controlling myself," Canaan stated, "Its been so long for me, and something about you slips past my defenses. I've never met anyone that's affected me like you are-"

It was then he noticed his hand lifted brushing a lock of her dark hair out of her eyes and tucking it over her ear. She looked into his eyes and he was lost within the dark chocolate ocean of them.

"When..." Her hand following his example raised and feather-soft fingertips teased over the side of his face stimulating the little bit of stubble on his jawline. Then reckonizing what she was doing retracted it, "Should we... go?"

That was the smart thing to do. This thing between them was far too potent to be controlled. He should pull back his hand as well.

"You already know him, right," He replied to her question, "We just need to call him and tell him to meet us. Suggest a neutral site...like Audra's bar...she allows member of both sides to mingle there no matter how much it pisses Persey and the Castali off."

He was pulling his hand back...now...any minute now...but instead his finger slid through her hair. The stopped when they reached the back of her neck. His fingers then tightened there and he pulled her in tight against his body. Before either of them could stop it his lips pressed against hers in another kiss, but if the last time was fiery this one was an inferno. It was filled with his hunger, his primal need for her. That he knew this wasn't proper was not stopping him now.

His arm wrapped around her trapping her against him. His lips pushed and pressed demanding her surrender to.

He was a fool...he couldn't control this...he couldn't pull away now...and now that it was happening...Canaan didn't want to try either. He needed this woman so much it frightened him right now.

Control...

She heard that word and made her hand move from his cheek only to be pulled into that kiss. Her mind flooded and her eyes closed only to feel him wrap his other arm around her. The closeness her hunger roared in her mind demanding to be fed as her arms moved to hug him close as well. Tighter still as her lips parted pressing back into the kiss with all the passion and power he gave. one hand moved to slither fingernails through his hair her eyes opening with that faint shimmer of her hunger wanting to be sated for this dark fey that seemed to make her hunger more dominant and intense.

Her other hand moving to trace up and down his back more clawing carefully after a moment till the kiss had to break. She stared into his eyes her eyes dancing and shimmering her hunger and desire as her lips then slammed into his for another rough hungry intense kiss nipping at his lips as her tongue danced over his lips seeking his tongue as well.

IC: Canaan Alexander

His arm wrapped around her trapping her against him. His lips pushed and pressed demanding her surrender too.

He was a fool...he couldn't control this...he couldn't pull away now...and now that it was happening...Canaan didn't want to try either. He needed this woman so much it frightened him right now.

Her arms wrapping around him to keep him against her set fire to his blood. The press of her lips intensified. Fingernails raked through the curls of his hair stoking the fire hotter.

His hands roved over her body one tracing down her back to squeeze a cheek of her denim covered ass. The other seeking out her breast and molding his hand over it.

She pulled away so they could both get a breath back into oxygen-deprived lungs.

Panting and casting her a smoky, fuck me, look, he said, "We should probably stop now before-"

She pushed her head back in and they were swept back up in the whirlwind of another kiss. She nibbled at his bottom lip and traced her tongue over it courting his to come out and play.

Something he readily complied with.

The hand on her breast lowered and dipped underneath her Rolling Stones shirt and over the cotton bra-cup over her breast. Fingers traced its outline over the goosebumps of her bareskin. He pressed the pad of a finger into the little rise in the cotton over her nipple.

He was lost in the whirlwind of the moment. Canaan wasn't thinking. He was just reacting to the explosive thing simmering between them.

An almost purr into the kiss feeling his hand slide under her top. Her hands still trailing fingernails over his back and neck and through his hair. She could feel the fire growing between them as one hand moved to find the bottom of his shirt tracing fingernails along his back just above the waist of his pants. Breaking the kiss once more for a little air she bit her lip.

I...I don't... think... we could... even if we... wanted to... don't know... about... you but... I don't think... we want to.

Her eyes locked sinking into his as she held him close. Her hunger was raging she wanted to feed from him she wanted that and so much more. Moving one hand to rest over his hand through her shirt she smiled as her eyes closed with another almost feral purr of pure desire.

IC: Canaan Alexander

"We should probably stop now before-"

The hand on her breast lowered and dipped underneath her Rolling Stones shirt and over the cotton bra-cup over her breast. Fingers traced its outline over the goosebumps of her bare skin. He pressed the pad of a finger into the little rise in the cotton over her nipple.

He was lost in the whirlwind of the moment. Canaan wasn't thinking. He was just reacting to the explosive thing simmering between them.

"I...I don't... think... we could... even if we... wanted to..." She panted between deep breaths, "...Don't know... about... you but... I don't think... we want to."

Their eyes met and he raised her up ripping her shirt up off her and flung where it landed on the Piano's bench seat. Free of it he met her eyes pulling her up over his lap. His lips ravaging hers.

His hand reached up behind her taking a fistful of her hair and pulling her head back so she was looking up at her living room's ceiling and baring her throat to the trail fiery kisses he laid down it. When he reached the little hollow at the base of her neck he licked his way back up her neck and chin to her lips for another dynamite kiss.

When he pulled back from the kiss to give them both some air he let go of her hair and looked into her eyes. "It's been too long, Karena, and I want you too much..."

His hands began to work the clasp of her bra, but he didn't have the patience for it and instead lifted the cups of her bra up and off of her breasts. His hands held and squeezed her breasts. "...I won't be able to control myself. I was told a muse can survive sex with my kind, but I'm so hungry for you right now I don't know if that will stop me from hurting you."

I leaned his head down and captured her nipple between his lips and aggressively circled her nipple with his tongue.

Feeling her shirt torn away from her fueled her more. The Primal hunger burning within him was toying with her hungers as well as their lips slammed together in a kiss. Her head tilted aback as she felt him pull at her hair. Gasping at the kisses burning down her neck and the tongue trace back up and once more lost in a kiss.

Her mind was a whirlwind but... he was speaking.

I want you too Canaan...

Feeling him fight with ehr bra one hadn reached back after he gave up and unhooked her bra slipping from her bra she tossed it away from them as her hands moved to tear at his shirt. Feeling the material give between her hands. She left the shirt there torn open as her fingernails began to dance over his chest her eyes locked in his as she gasped and almost purred at his urgent attention to her breasts.

Guess that is just a chance we will have to take and I can feed from you too Fae don't succumb to the risks of my feeding as quickly either.

Her eyes were shimmering.

So very hungry... for you... Now...

Her hands gripping his hair as she felt his lips on her breasts arching her back to press her breasts firmly against his lips.

IC: Canaan Alexander

"I want you too Canaan...Guess that is just a chance we will have to take and I can feed from you too Fae don't succumb to the risks of my feeding as quickly either."

Canaan leaned his head down and captured her nipple between his lips and aggressively circled her nipple with his tongue.

"Guess that is just a chance we will have to take and I can feed from you too," She had ripped open his shirt and her fingers and nails roamed over the pecs of his chest adding the pleasure and pain of her touch that only fueled his ardor for her, "Fae don't succumb to the risks of my feeding as quickly either."

He only grunted acknowledgement of what she said as his mouth was busy with her nipple. His tongue played over the top of it as he applied suction to it and nipped it with his teeth hard while pulling it away until it popped out from between his lips. Then he looked up into those deep brown eyes.

"So very hungry..." She murmured, "...For you... Now..." Her hands threaded through his hair now and guided his head back down leaning back to present her breasts again to his lips. He took the other gave it the same treatment rolling over until they were laying on the couch. She was underneath him. One hand gripped her breast as he sucked and teased the nipple with tongue and teeth as his other fought one handed to get his damned shirt off of him so he could employ it in much worthier pursuits like ridding her of her double-damned jeans for instance.

Of course it just had to hang around his wrist and growling in frustration around her nipple his other hand abandoned molding her breast and was forced to grab at the never-to-be-sufficiently damned shirt and tore it off. He threw it far away its hindrance to the touching of Karena soon forgotten. Now his hands and fingers were free to explore and claim every inch of her exposed skin with all the zeal of conquistadors searching for El Dorado.

His mouth wandered south down over her stomach. He spiraled his tongue around her navel and then inside followed by a nip to her stomach between it and the waistband of her jeans.

Her eyes shimmered as she tilted her head to watch him move lower. Feeling his lips near her jeans she moved her hands to fight between them with the suddenly overly constricting denim sealing her away from his hunger and blocking him from her hunger too. Taunting with their soft yet impenetrable existence till finally she got them opened up at least as her hands moved of their own desire back to slithering over Canaan caressing and clawing at him urging more from him as her own hunger bored deeper into her.

Feeling his hands and lips she gasped an almost growl of her own from the sheer pleasure and desire. Her fingernails dancing over his back and arms and through his hair it their own primitive intoxicating dance. Playing over nerves and sensual paths like a virtuoso musician. her legs and hips wriggling to try to begin getting her pants to slither their own way off of her only to more rub herself against him perhaps to encourage him to help her free herself from her denim captor.

IC: Canaan Alexander

His mouth wandered south down over her stomach. He spiraled his tongue around her navel and then inside followed by a nip to her stomach between it and the waistband of her jeans.

Her hands snuck between them to the fly of her jeans. Her fingers ripping the button free and pulling the zipper down. Then they returned to tracing the contours of the muscles of his shoulders and back as Canaan dipped his head extending his tongue and blazing a trail down from her navel to the open fly of her levis Frustrated at this staunch impediment to his desire he grasped them on either side of her hips.

Canaan had liked hip-hugger jeans before, but now as he frustrated pulled and cajoled the goddamned denim over the curves they had showcased so well before his opinion of them had taken a drastic turn for the worse. Right then there was nothing in the world he despised more than these stubborn jeans.

Karena aided his efforts and spurred him on at the same time. Her hips raised up offering no resistance from the couch cushions beneath her and silent supplication to free her from her denim prison.

Canaan pulled up regrettably putting more distance between him and Karena's body, but it also allowed more leverage as he forced the hated jeans down her thighs to bunch around her knees.

She was wearing soft baby blue panties as the last impediment to her being bare before him.

Canaan bent down claiming her mouth in a demanding and scorching kiss as one hand took the elastic band of her panties. His arm made a sharp jerking motion and Karena shook underneath him as there came the sound of fabric ripping.

He threw the torn panties aside having never broken the kiss with her.