ch someone on a judo mat afraid that if you look away； they'll hurt you。 It reminded me of watching lions drink from pools； with their eyes rolled up； watching for danger while they drank。
Nathaniel made a small sound as Asher licked the wound。 It had stopped bleeding； but as the vampire traced the wound with his tongue； I saw blood well to the surface again。 Vampires have an anticoagulant in their saliva； but I'd never seen its use demonstrated quite so well before。
It made me wonder。 I curled closer to Nathaniel's body； one leg entwining over his。 I didn't ask permission； because he was mine； and I knew him well enough to know he would not only not mind； but he would wele it。 I lowered my mouth to another of the wounds that had nearly stopped bleeding and licked。 There was the sweet copper taste of blood； and the thick； rich taste of his skin； and a taste of 。。。 meat。 As if I could tell what he would taste like if I ate him one bite at a time。
The beast flared over my skin like something trembling and alive。 Nathaniel's beast responded to it； flaring； rolling； as if I could see it just below his skin； just below his ribs； as if I could feel where it lay in the heart of his body。 In that moment I knew I could call his beast； could coax him to change when the moon was far from full。 I was his Nimir…Ra； and that meant so much more than merely being his dominant。
Asher's eyes had drowned in pale blue fire； so he looked blind as he licked at the wound。 He gazed into my face； directly across Nathaniel's body； our eyes at the same level as we tasted the wounds。 My wound bled a little bit more； but not as much as Asher's did。 I was not truly a blood drinker I fed on other things and staring across Nathaniel's body； feeling his breathing quicken as the two of us touched him； I knew that those other things were here for the taking。
Asher's hand slid over Nathaniel's body； until he touched my thigh where it curved over Nathaniel's leg。 The moment he touched me something rushed between us。 It was as if the ardeur recognized him； as if it had touched him before。
It made me raise up from the wound； drew me back into myself； a little。 Something on my face made Asher take his hand back。
Jean…Claude entered then。 He was wearing a black robe with black fur at collar； lapel； and sleeves。 His black hair melted into the fur； so you couldn't tell where one blackness stopped and the other began。 The last time I'd seen him in the robe； I'd told him there better be something under the robe besides skin。 Now； I hoped there wasn't。
Seeing him brought the ardeur boiling over me again。 It made me catch my breath； things lower than my stomach clenching tight enough to draw a sound from my throat。
〃She holds your incubus；〃 Asher said； and his voice tore my gaze from Jean…Claude to him。
〃Oui。〃 Jean…Claude glided around the room to the opposite side of the bed from where Asher knelt。
〃She tastes of you； and of Belle Morte。〃
〃Oui；〃 Jean…Claude said。 He walked around the bed to the other side； and I rolled away from Nathaniel so I could see Jean…Claude move。 The movement exposed the front of my body； and I had enough of myself left to roll onto my stomach。
Jason said； 〃A〃
I ignored him。
Jean…Claude lifted the robe so he could crawl onto the bed。 The movement revealed a long； pale line of skin from his shoulders to his stomach。 The glimpse of that white flesh caught between the blackness of the fur made me want to untie the sash and expose his entire body。 But I stayed where I was； half…leaning against Nathaniel； because I was afraid to move。 Afraid to go to Jean…Claude； because I didn't trust myself。
There was just enough of me left not to want to make love to Jean…Claude in front of the other men。 But it was a razor…thin part； something that glittered in the darkness but didn't quite believe itself anymore。
〃The hunger recognizes Asher。 Is it because it's yours； or because it's hers？〃 I asked。
〃Hers？〃 he asked。
〃Belle Morte。〃
〃I do not know；〃 he said。 And he was close enough now that the edge of the robe brushed my body。 I could see a thin line of pale skin below the waist where the robe gaped。 A thin； thin line of white； but it was enough to let me know that there was nothing under the robe but Jean…Claude。
I wanted to open the robe； to see all of him。 I said it without thinking； as if I hadn't meant to say it out loud。 〃Open the robe。〃 It startled me as if I didn't know my own voice。
I closed my eyes； tried to think。
〃It is alright； ma petite。 Once taken； blood fills your stomach； but lust 。。。 〃 Fur brushed in a teasing line down my arm。 〃Lust is always there； never vanquished pletely； never satisfied。〃 He brushed the edge of his furred cuff down my waist； my hip； my thigh； my calf。 When he brushed it along my foot； he started back up； but this time on the back of my body； so that the teasing brush touched my buttocks； my back； my shoulder。
I lay wordless； breathless； under his touch。 When he curved the fur around my face； I grabbed the edge of the robe and held him away from me。 〃Make everyone leave。〃 My voice was barely above a whisper。
〃I can do nothing until I have fed； ma petite； you know that。〃
〃I know。 Blood pressure。〃 I was having a hard time thinking。 〃Then do it； but 。。。 〃
〃Hurry；〃 he said softly。
I nodded。
He drew his sleeve out of my grip and looked down the bed to Jason； who was still standing there； watching the show。 〃e； pomme de sang； e and enjoy the rewards of your sacrifice。〃
The phrase was oddly formal； and I'd never heard it put that way before。 I expected Jason to go around the bed to the same side as Jean…Claude； but he didn't。 He rolled over the foot of the bed in a movement so liquid it was like watching water flow； as if his skin barely contained some elemental energy that had nothing to do with the flesh and bone body I was seeing。 He ended on his knees on the opposite side from Jean…Claude。 I could taste the movement of his body in my mouth； not just his heart； but as if every throb and beat of him was trying to slide over my tongue and down my throat。 I could feel his eagerness； not for me； but for what Jean…Claude had to offer。 He came eagerly to the vampire； in that breathless rush that you usually save for sex。 They mirrored each other； both on their knees； gazing at each other across my body。
〃I will leave you alone with your pommes de sang and each other。〃 Asher was standing next to the bed； belting the sash at his waist； securing the robe around him。 He stood very straight with that perfect posture that all the old nobles seemed to have； but still he huddled inside the robe。
I rolled onto my stomach； gazing at him； trying to read his face； his body。 The disfort I could read； and even pain。 And it must have shown on my face； because Asher dropped his gaze； that wonderful golden hair sliding over the scarred side of his face； so that when he looked up； you could see nothing but the perfect half of him； that one ice…blue eye。
I had a sudden memory of lying in a different bed in a huge dark room surrounded by dozens of candles until the shadows moved and rippled with every small breath of air； every movement of a pale arm。 I lay in that trembling golden darkness in the embrace of a pale； dark…haired woman。 I gazed up at her； and her face was like something carved of alabaster； with lips red and perfect； hair like the darkness of night made into furred silk； falling around her nude perfection like a veil。 Her eyes were pale brown； like dark honey。 I knew it was Belle Morte； as if I'd always known her face。
The door opened； and Asher entered； wearing a robe more elaborate； heavier than the one he wore now。 But still he huddled in it； held it around his body； afraid。 I saw the scars on his face fresh； raw and it was 。。。 painful。 My chest went tight with the sight of his ruin。 I went to my knees； reaching out to him； moving a body that I'd never been inside。 Jean…Claude reaching out to Asher all those centuries ago。 But she lay there nude and perfect showing every curve； every secret place to the candlelight； and turned him away。 I couldn't remember the words she used； only the look on her face； the utter arrogance； the distaste。 The look on Asher's face as he turned from her to Jean…Claude； to me。 The look of pain； and he let that glorious hair fall forward； hiding his face； and it was the first time we'd seen him do that； hide from us。
I felt her hands on our body as she turned back to us； as if Asher were no longer there； but we remembered the look on his face； the line of his body as he left that room。 I blinked and was back in Jean…Claude's bedroom； watching Asher in his brown silk robe walking towards the door。 And the line of his shoulders； the way he held himself； made my chest tight； closed my throat； made my eyes hot with things unsaid and unshed。
〃Don't go。〃 I heard myself say it； and I glanced up at Jean…Claude。 His face was careful； unreadable； but for just a moment I saw his eyes； and the pain I was feeling was only an echo of what filled his eyes。
Asher stopped at the door and turned； his hair falling over his face； the robe covering everything else。 He said nothing； just looked back at me； at us。
I repeated； 〃