VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, [5] ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 21:02:40 06/13/02 Thu
Author: moondreamer
Subject: Instinct - Chapter 16
In reply to: moondreamer 's message, "Instinct" on 11:51:56 05/22/02 Wed

Chapter 16

Ian pulled on a pair of black sweatpants Sara had lent him and looked over to Sara as she sat on the bed. He gave her yet another wistful smile. She smiled back, her long, curly locks still sleep tousled. Her beautiful eyes, for once, were clear of all pain and anger, shining at him with only the clear, burning purity of her love and desire.

The sheets were wrapped around her hips but her torso was bare. Her full breasts caught his attention, their rosy tips seeming to beg for the touch of his lips.. It was so hard for him to believe the events of the last few days had really happened.. He kept thinking this was all a fever-induced dream. A fantasy that would vanish with the morning. Who knows, maybe he really was dead and this was just his afterlife.

Sara returned his smile with a gentle one of her own. He had such beautiful smiles, she thought. She would never have thought a smile from Ian Nottingham could make her melt, yet, here was the irrefutable proof of just that.

“Penny for your thoughts?” She whispered, feeling as if her heart would break at the very sight of him.

Ian came back over to the bed and stroked a callused hand over her smooth cheek. Loving the feel of her softness as she turned her cheek into his hand, and placed a gently kiss on his palm.

“I was just thinking that if I am dead, then so be it. This could be my heaven, or it could be my hell. And it would be all worth it. The time spent with you was a greater honor than I ever imagined.”

“Oh Ian.” Sara’s eyes turned liquid with unshed tears. She raised a trembling hand and placed it over his.

“Whatever else happens, Sara. Know that these last few hours have been the most wonderful of my entire life.” Ian looked earnestly into Sara’s eyes. His brown eyes intense with his desire for her to understand his feelings.

“I pledge to you my undying devotion and care. My life for yours would be an unworthy bargain, but I will make it in an instant if need be.”

“What do you mean, whatever else happens?” Sara’s voice deepened. Her fear of the future breaking through to her present. “What are you talking about Ian. What’s going on?”

Ian smiled yet again, this one with a tinge of sadness.

“Ah Sara, the world is going to break through on us soon enough. Let’s just enjoy the morning.”

“We were enjoying it.” Sara replied. “Until Mr. Coffee showed up.” Her disgruntlement was still readily apparent.

“You better keep telling me that he’s you. Or a part of you. Or parts of you. Or whatever. Right now, I still want to kick his butt for what he did to me this morning.”

Ian leaned down to touch his lips tenderly to hers once again.

“If it’s coffee you want, come on. There’s more in the kitchen.”

“I’ll join you two in a minute. I still need to get dressed. I know.” Sara injected quickly. “You and Luke don’t care. Trust me, right now, I do.”

“Give me that cup, and I’ll have it refilled and ready when you are.”

Ian reluctantly left Sara’s side and head back out to check on Luke. The black sweatpants rode low on his hip. His pelvic bones were clearly defined underneath his extremely well developed abdominal muscles.

Sara watched him as he went. Admiring again the grace and subtle power that were all too apparent to her loving eyes. Slowly she rose from the tangled covers. She ran her hand over the pillow that still carried the imprint of Ian’s head. Raising the pillow briefly to her face, she breathed deeply of his unique scent. The state of the bed bore mute testament to their hours and hours of unbridled passion.

She was still uncomfortable with much that she had learned. The fact that not only Luke, but also Kenneth Irons were peeping in on the most intimate aspects of her life was extremely distasteful to her.

Yet, if she had to be honest, having Luke wake her up this morning had not been remotely unpleasant. It had been just as wildly exciting being with him as it had been with Ian. Part of her anger at Luke was based in shame at her response to his touch. She wondered what the night had been like for him. What had it been like to be connected to both her and Ian as they finally shared their passion? Just how similar were the two men? Would Luke’s physical expression of his feelings be the same as Ian’s? Or would there be enough differences between them to color his responses?

Unable to face these questions within her, Sara dressed quickly in another pair of sweatpants, and an oversize t-shirt. Taking a deep breath she steeled herself to face the two men between her and the coffee machine.

Sara entered the kitchen area slowly. Well aware that the two men broke off their murmured conversation as she approached. Ian held a cup of coffee out to her and she sat down at the table. Cradling the cup in her hands she stared in fascination at the two men.

They were identical. If she ignored the obvious differences of clothing and facial hair it was just amazing. How easy it would be to imagine they were just twins. Yet the reality was far stranger. There were two Ian Nottingham’s standing in her kitchen. Identical looks of lust…and love visible in their brown eyes.

She looked down at her coffee. Unwilling to really look Luke in the face. It was still very embarrassing her to the way she responded to him, no matter what Ian said. Ian joined her at the table and placed a reassuring hand on top of hers. He sensed her discomfort and tried to ease her through it.

Luke smiled widely at Sara. The taste of her was still fresh on his lips and he definitely wanted more. Standing at the stove he served up the omelet he had thrown together from the ingredients in Sara’s kitchen. He handed a plate to Ian and then carrying both his and Sara’s he sat down beside them.

Sara took a bite slowly and then another more quickly as she tasted the culinary delight.

“Oh, man!” She enthused. “This is great. Where did you find the ingredients. I didn’t think I had any fresh vegetables, or cheese, or anything.”

Both Ian and Luke laughed at the same time.

“I went shopping earlier this week Sara. You just hadn’t looked in your cupboards.” Ian replied as the two men shared a quick look. Both amused by Sara’s lack of domestic attention.

“So what’s next?” Fortified by food and coffee Sara decided to ignore their momentary humor at her expense.

Luke was the first to respond; his face coloring with his anger. “Irons is next. That murderous bastard will pay for what he had done to us.”

Sara put her cup down sharply on the table. “You are not talking about killing him? I can’t let you do that.” She met his angry glance boldly. Her discomfort vanishing as her views as an officer of the law rose to the surface.

Ian held his hand up between the two of them.

“Both of you must calm down.” He continued slowly.

“Sara, we have to deal with Kenneth. He not only tried to kill me, but if he doesn’t get what he wants he’s going to kill you. Just like he killed Elizabeth Bronte.”

“What gain would he have by killing me?” Sara refused to accept the idea that Kenneth Irons would have interest in her that intense.

“Your blood, Sara. When you passed the Periculum, when The Witchblade chose you as a true wielder, you became his fountain of youth. He needs your blood to prolong his life. It doesn’t matter to him how he gets it, or keeps it.”

“So that’s what this is all about then? My blood and his desire to cheat death? That’s why he killed Elizabeth?”

“More than a desire to cheat death Sara.” Ian replied. “It has been my belief that he hopes that if he can only live long enough he will be able to find a way to wear The Witchblade himself.”

“But I thought only women could wear it? You and Irons both told me that only women could wield The Witchblade.”

“Technology changes. Things once considered improbable, if not impossible become reality.” Luke spoke up this time. “Case in point before you.” His wry, self-mockery once again very evident.

“Can we make some kind of deal with him? What if I offer him my blood in exchange for him leaving us alone? Why won’t that work?”

“Once he realizes Ian lives, once he understands that he cannot control either of us anymore he will be consumed with a desire to destroy us. He will not be able to accept our independence. He is obsessed with both The Witchblade and a belief in his own omnipotence.” Luke shook his head at what he considered her naiveté.

“He sent me here this morning to bring you to him, Sara. He is out of patience. And he is running out of time.”

“So what are we going to do.” Sara finished her coffee as she spoke, and Luke refilled her cup absently.

Ian reached out and took her hand in his once again. “We are doing nothing. I don’t want you involved in this. Luke and I are going to face Kenneth.”

“Oh no you two don’t. I’m a part of this and I’m going with you.” Sparks flew from Sara’s eyes as she glared at the two men.

“Sara, I’ve just discovered how truly wonderful we can be together. I don’t want anything to happen to you. I can’t risk losing you.”

Sara was touched by Ian’s declaration but shook her head in denial. “It’s my blood he wants. It’s my wrist that wears The Witchblade. I am a part of this. And I don’t want anything to happen to you either.”

Ian and Luke exchanged glances, their unspoken communication evident to Sara.

“Don’t even try to talk me out of this, either of you! And don’t look at me like that!”

Two pairs of identical, deep brown eyes stared at Sara. Pleading with her to see things their way.

“God, I can’t believe it. A double puppy-dog eye whammy. It won’t work.”

Sara stood and walked over to the kitchen sink, turning her back in her effort to ignore them. Luke may be a great cook but, boy, did he make a mess.

“Face it guys, you can’t change my mind.”

Once again Ian and Luke exchanged glances. This time acknowledging the stubborn reality that was their love, their Sara.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

Post a message:
This forum requires an account to post.
[ Create Account ]
[ Login ]
[ Contact Forum Admin ]

Forum timezone: GMT-8
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.