Ninety-Four

[Bastet]

*'It would make absolutely no sense that Damien is still going, or close to going, recreant. He just had two children. Two blood ties!'* I thought as I waited impatiently for Sam's response, trying to hold back the hundreds of things that ran through my head.

"No, he's not going recreant any longer, thankfully. But that doesn't just erase his strength, Bast. It's true that going recreant makes you stronger, faster, and gives you better hearing, but being pulled from the brink of turning doesn't strip those things from you. It just stops you from losing your control." Sam finally responded, then winced as he watched Kerr rip a chunk of flesh out of Damien's arm. He didn't seem to care all too much about it as he kicked Kerr, the cracking of his bones resounding throughout the room. *'He's trying to kill him! Speaking of, how is Kerr not dead yet?'*

"That's enough!" I yelled as I stood and walked to the two men. I walked past Damien, where Kerr was getting ready to lunge, and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, then drug him to Damien, where I grabbed him by the ear. I pulled them both back to the riverbank, then used my vampire strength to throw them both into the river. "Clean yourselves off. Fight again if you dare!" I growled before sitting back down on the blanket, shaking my head.

"Pft, you were just owned," Samantha giggled as she watched the man and the wolf climb out of the river, soaking wet, and pissed.

"You think that's funny, do you?" Damien asked with a raised eyebrow as he opened the door for Kerr, then grabbed himself a towel.

"It was funny, kinda," Samantha responded, looking down at her legs.

"No, it wasn't kinda funny. It was hilarious." Octavia giggled, watching as Damien tried to dry himself off. "Go upstairs and get a change of clothes from Kerr. He should have something on by the time you get up there."

"No, I'll pass, thanks," Damien said as he sat down next to me, and watched me closely with a glare. "You pulled me, by my ear?"

"I'm your queen and I pull you by whatever I damn well please," I responded with a shrug, looking back into his electric blue eyes, hoping I was portraying my seriousness in my eyes.

"The mental picture... WHY?" Samantha exclaimed, shaking her head, trying to shake the thoughts loose before they could imprint in her mind.

"Not sure I appreciate you thinking such things about my king and best friend," Sam muttered, shaking his head.

"Sam, do you know how an intrusive thought works? I had no choice in the matter. But just to be clear, I definitely did not want that picture in my head." Samantha said with a sigh, shaking her head with a roll of her eyes. "Speaking of, where's Sinclair?"

"He's getting Hanna, her second, and Bartholomew," Damien said as he stood, and looked down at me. "Would you three mind watch the babies for a few minutes? They've just had their bottles, so they should be fine for a while."

"Of course," Octavia said with a nod as she watched Damien take my hand and lead me out of the door, then up the stairs where Kerr was heading back to the basement.

"Damien, I apolo-" He started to say, but Damien held up his hand, shaking his head before he could finish.

"No need, thank you," Damien said, then took the clothes Kerr handed him with a thankful nod. He walked into the bathroom to change, and returned only seconds later, throwing his wet clothes in the garbage, before holding his hand out to me again. *'The only person I know who'd rather throw away a perfectly good set of clothes than to let them dry.'*

"Damien, what are we doing?" I asked curiously as he led me to the car, opening the passenger side door for me.

Damien didn't respond, but he shook his head as he started the car and hit the accelerator, driving towards the entrance to the town. He waited until after we'd left town before saying anything, "That town has ears, remember? Our best bet is to be out of town if we want to talk about anything."

"Octavia said no one can hear what goes on in the basement," I responded, furrowing my brows as he pulled off to the side of the road, and stepped out. He opened my door for me and held his hand out, then started walking with me.

"What Kerr said, do you believe it's true?" He finally asked me after we'd been walking for a while.

"No, I don't. I chose to be with you, months before I was supposed to be yours." I responded, shaking my head. *'This is only the third time I remember seeing Damien question our relationship, or better yet, questioning whether I wanted to be in this relationship or not. I thought after everything that's happened, that he would realize I love him, not because I feel like I need to, but because I do. Though I suppose the way our relationship started is reason enough for doubt.'*

I sighed and stopped walking, waiting for Damien to stop and face me. I felt my words catch in my throat when I saw the look in his eyes. All I could see was regret and sorrow in those electric orbs of his, and it broke my heart. Seeing that sadness, I wanted to kill Kerr with my bare hands, knowing he was the one that put that look in his eyes. "Damien, I love you, and I will always love you. I loved you before, but I refused to admit it until I decided to spend time with you."

"Did you?" He asked, his confusion and shock replacing the sadness in his eyes.

"Yes. Valerie called me dumb because I fell for a guy I only knew from the internet, but that was before she knew that you would come to check on me every few months. When I saw the way you treated me, I knew I'd be happy with you, and never feel the way I did with my parents." I responded, but stopped, willing the tears that were gathering in my eyes to go away. I waited until I felt it was safe to speak again, without the threat of crying. "Damien, I loved you for years before. I was afraid that you'd eventually get tired of me and stop coming around, that's why I always acted as I hated you. In the woods, when you kissed me, then pulled away when I told you to stop, I could see that you wanted nothing more than to keep going. That's why I told you I wanted to spend time with you. I already knew I loved you, but I wanted to spend real time with you first. And the rest is history, I guess."

Damien listened to me as I spoke, before chuckling softly as he pulled me into his arms, kissing me like he hadn't in a while. It felt like his spark was reignited after what I'd said to him, telling me that he did believe me, much to my relief.

"Damien, we're on the road!" I gasped out as he picked me up, lifting me so our faces were even.

"You've never wanted to have sex in the middle of the road, kitten?" He mumbled against my lips with a chuckle, pulling back to look at me as he waited for my reaction.

"Um, no?" I lied with a giggle, but I knew he didn't believe me as he took off his jacket and laid it down on the road, still watching my reaction, waiting for me to tell him a definite no. After waiting a few moments, he brought his lips back to mine, his passion and need the only thing I could feel as he laid me down softly, breaking away from my lips only long enough to pull off my shirt. I moaned out as he unclipped my bra, kissing a line from my lips, down my throat, pausing long enough to kiss and nibble at my breasts, before continuing his descent. He stopped when he reached my shorts and pulled them off before bringing his lips crashing back down on mine, growling against my lips as I nibbled playfully at his.

For what felt like the first time, Damien didn't hold himself back the way he usually did. He didn't let himself go innate, but he showed me his desire in the way he thrust, putting his hand just above my shoulder, blocking me from jumping up, or accidentally hitting my head against the ground. I leaned up to bring my lips back to his, trying to stifle my whimpers and moans, but he put his hand on my shoulder and pushed me back down, watching me as he thrust as hard as he could until I couldn't take it anymore.

It felt like the first time, the way he was kissing me, the way his hands made their way down my body, his small groans as I moved my hips against his. His desire, lust, and need brought out a primal side of me I wasn't sure I had, giving me only one desire, and that was to please him. But he wouldn't allow me to do anything more than to lay back and take it, as he seemed to think he might break me if I didn't.

He finally brought his lips back down to meet mine, putting one hand on my hip to guide me, while he put his other hand underneath my head, exploring my tongue with his.

"Stop holding yourself back, kitten." He grumbled against my lips, then pulled back to look down at me, a demonic grin on his face as he peeled his lips back to show me his fangs, "I know how to get you."

*'After all these times, I still get so turned on by his fangs. Even after getting a set of my own, and he knows it!'* I giggled and brushed my hair to the side, giving him full access, and waited until he bent down, to sink my fangs into his shoulder, using it to stifle my scream as I came.

"Good kitten," he purred after my spasms stopped, pulling himself back before dressing. He looked off to the side as I dressed, waiting until I told him I was decent before looking back at me. When he saw me roll my eyes, he shook his head with a sigh. "I cannot change my ways, and I'd hope you would be used to them by now."

I sighed and took his hand as we began walking back towards the car, trying to stop myself from laughing, but it was too late as Damien already noticed my amusement, and was waiting for me to explain. "I was just thinking about when I gave birth to Ciaran and Azeneth," I giggled, taking a moment to catch my breath before I continued, "You wanted to be there, but it's not like you would have actually watched the birth, because I wouldn't have given you permission to look."

"I suppose you're correct, yes. But I still would have liked to be there to hold your hand and try to assist, though I know the only reason those doctors and nurses are alive is that Octavia was there, rather than me." He said with a nod, then chuckled softly. "I'm glad you find that funny."

"It's not really funny, just kind of... Yeah, I guess I do find it funny."

"Little Bastet, Lucifer, what are you two doing out here?" Sinclair said from just behind us, with Hanna, and another recreant who I recognized slightly.

"Sinclair? How are you back so quickly?" Damien asked as they walked alongside us back towards the town.

"I asked Hanna to come to us, as slowing myself down for that mimic was agonizing," Sinclair growled, motioning behind them.

"Hmm, I imagined it would be. Where is the mimic, and Bartholomew?" Damien asked him, looking to where Sinclair motioned but saw nothing.

"They are further up the road, though I supposed they'll be catching up soon now that we've stopped running."

"How did you expect to find the town without your guide?" I asked him as I smiled hello to Hanna and the recreant walking next to her. "I'm sorry, I don't remember your name?"

"Richard, vampire queen. No need to apologize, you met a lot of recreants that day, I do not blame you for forgetting me, as our interaction was a short one." The man said, his golden eyes soft and understanding as he smiled softly.

"How long do you think something like this will take to plan?" I asked no one in particular, as I knew the four of them were all seasoned when it came to fights.

"At least a few weeks, but it could be faster, as we already have our forces behind us. The only real thing left is to strategize." Hanna responded, earning a nod of agreement from the three men as Bartholomew and Jaxson finally caught up, just as we were reaching the car.

"Leaving the car by the entrance, smart. Do you think Octavia wants them in her bunker? I didn't think to ask." Sinclair asked as Damien opened the passenger side door for me, waiting for his answer before heading back into town.

"I believe so, yes. She wants a place without ears to strategize, and that is were Ciaran and Azeneth are, so that is where we're going." Damien responded as he sat in the driver's seat, and started the car. He waited until the group ran ahead, before saying anything. "Are you having second thoughts?" He asked me, taking my hand in his, then kissing it softly.

"No, I'm not. Just trying to picture how a fight like this is going to go down, and I can't." I responded, watching as we drove up Octavia's driveway, and parked behind Kerr's truck, where Octavia and Kerr were waiting.

"Who's watching the babies?" I asked as I stepped out of the car, feeling a million thoughts go through my head when I didn't see them.

"They are fine, Sam and Samantha are watching them! We just came outside to have a smoke, that's all." Octavia said as she put out her cigarette before putting her arm around my shoulder, walking next to me as we went back downstairs and into the forest beneath the house.

I nodded my understanding, but I couldn't calm down until my eyes landed on my babies, who Samantha was playing with, while Sam greeted Bartholomew, who was still looking around in awe.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Damien said as he pulled Bartholomew into a hug, smiling, before turning his attention to Sam.

"I knew there was something different about you, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Congratulations!" Hanna exclaimed as she hugged me softly, peering down at the babies with a soft smile, watching as Samantha tried to keep them both busy, but wasn't having much luck.

"Samantha, you can take a break. Thank you for watching them." I said as I sat down and picked Azeneth up, taking a bottle out of the bag for her, and motioning for Hanna to sit across from me. "Did you have kids?"

"I did, yes. Four little ones. Three boys, and one girl."