It didn't matter how he dressed though, and didn't matter where he went he always managed to stand out with his full head of carrot-top, sherbert and slightly wavy hair with dark and troubled blue eyes and pale skin.

Tonight he was on a haunting, one of the least likely places he'd be found unless on a case.  Months ago a case had gone cold.  They all knew who done it, but as much as they milked the evidence it simply would not play the fat lady and sing for them.  So the murderer had walked. 

Horatio had promised the man he would make his life a living hell until they found their evidence, or until he got his confession.  Tonight was a night Horatio felt like spooking.  The killer was goth, and a frequent at the club Horatio now found himself entering.

From her position behind the microphone onstage, Anya watched the stranger enter the club.  It was hard not to, seeing that he was wearing street clothes instead of the black leathers, wine velvets, and liberal laces that were favored.  And his attitude was just different from most of the bar.  He had to be a cop, or a detective, or someone who was going to find out quickly that he was in way over his head.

She was so deep in contemplation that she almost missed her cue to resume singing when the bridge ended.  Covering her vocal misstep well, she resumed her ode to darkness, her sultry voice caressing every note.  But she kept an eye on the red headed stranger, her curiosity piqued.  This was the last song of her set, and she'd be able to indulge in that curiosity shortly.

crowded and the lighting wasn't the best.  He found himself quickley looking away, scanning the crowds for some one familiar.  Knowing that even if he never found his man (would he even recognize him?!), he had probobly already been spotted by him.

Sticking to the walls he avoided eye contact but could easily see and recall faces as he slipped along to a darker portion of the floor.  A sudden shadow, of many, bumped up against him with purpose and he turned to meet a cold and daring set of ambers glaring into his blues.

"Hey Phil," his lips smiled but his eyes did not.  He met the gaze dead-on and waited patiently just as he had done countless times on the case.

Finally, shifting his weight and leaning with one hand against the wall, the other on his hip: "Something you want to tell me?"  Each word precisely executed, as though Phil was daft.

With a grunt Phil turned away and disapeared once more.  Horatio made sure to keep him within sight, knowing Phil was once a bully and even as an adult had often encouraged his cronies to come to his defense with dire outcomes.

Her song finished, Anya sauntered offstage and wove through the dancer on the floor over to the bar.  Ordering her customary post-set glass of red wine, she turned to observe the crowd.  The red headed man was challenging a regular, one she had seen many times.  One that gave her a bad feeling.  And to give Anya a bad feeling was something that took a lot.  Phil was unstable and unpredictable, and  with the unknown of the cop, even more dangerous.

Feeling that she should probably do something before a fight broke out, Anya turned to the bartender.  The vampire owner didn't appreciate violence on his establishment, given that it was neutral ground for the various vampire clans.  She wasn't a vampire, and usually vampires wouldn't consider most shapeshifters a friend, but Bubasti were a noted exception.  That and she was a good draw for business.   "Rick, send the mundane over there a glass of wine with my compliments."  Watching the bartender nod and go off to do her bidding, Anya sat back on the stool and waited to see what happened.

It had clearly been enough to upset Phil, but so far he wasn't making any moves.  Still, Horatio figured it enough for tonight and made a note to catch him alone, after work or at home... "From the singer," a voice and glass of wine interrupted his thoughts and vision as the bartender siddled up to him.  A gesture told him where to look for the singer as he took the glass.

He suspected, his line of work always made him careful.  And now he was wondering if this was Phil's doing.  Slip him a mickey from a pretty female?  Still... he was sure she had been staring at him from on stage.  He made his way over without yet touching his lips to the glass, some conversation might ease the wine onto his tongue.

He sat next to Anya, the glass on the bar as he looked her up and down.  "Guy like me doesn't come here often, much less get a drink from a woman like you."  He waited.

"Tell, me about it," Anya said.  She eyed the cop up and down as she took a slow sip from her glass, assessing him.  Not Kindred, not Mage, and not of any of the Changing Breeds.  Pity he was dressed as such a straight arrow.  It could have been nice to have some fun with him.  "I'm just going to offer you a bit of advice.  Be careful who you upset in here.  Some of the patrons have a mean streak, and the owner doesn't take kindly to people who pick fights.  No matter how well they are deserved." 

"Not here to pick fights.  Just to remind some one I'm still alive and kicking and haven't forgotten him.  I've seen the mean streak of that some one.  I know it all too well." 

He picked up his glass and drew a fast drink.  She was eyeing him as much, if not more, that he was looking her over.  His mouth drew a silent 'mmm'.

"You have plans for the rest of the night?"  He was never one to hesitate, no matter what it was.  His instincts didn't only speak to him when on a case.

"You're looking at them," she said, gesturing with the half empty glass.  "That was my last set."  She had the distinct feeling that she was being propositioned, which was mildly surprising.  It wasn't unusual for patrons to try to gain access attention or to her bedroom.  But she hadn't expected it to be the cop.

"So what exactly do you have in mind?" she asked.  It could be interesting to see how he reacted if she did say yes.  Some people made their moves and then quickly backed down when they realized they were quickly getting in over their heads.

He wasn't sure what he had in mind exactly, just to see where things went though he knew where he hoped they ended up.  That was her last set.  "You and me,"  he said bluntly, then leaned toward her while leaning on the bar so his voice wouldn't be overheard or carry where he didn't want it to. 

"Some drinks and some place quiet, alone.  Whatever you want."  His eyes were dead serious, with perhaps a touch of a challenge in the dark blues.  He stayed leaning on the bar, unblinking as he waited for her answer.

Anya chuckled softly.  "It's been a while since anyone has been so direct with me," she said with an amused grin.  She looked him up and down one last time, coming to a decision.  No matter how it turned out, this evening would be entertaining.

"Before I tell you where we're going," she said, running a black painted manicured nail around the rim of her glass.  "I'll need to know your name.  So I'll know what to scream out."

"Horatio,"  he straightened up with a slight smirk.  Tonight was going to prove far more interesting than he had planned.  Finishing his glass with another drink. 

"And your name?  I can't promise any screaming though you look like you can make me if you really want to.  And I think you really want to."

Anya gave him a wicked smile.  "Trust me Horatio," she said, tasting his name like the fine wine she was drinking.  "Anya Z can make you scream in many ways."  Not all of them would be the way he wanted though.  Her other forms had that affect on people.

"My apartment is about a five minute's walk from here.  So if you're done harassing the regulars..." she trailed off with an arched eyebrow.

"For tonight, Anya," he agreed with a smile and was already wondering in what many way she would make him scream.  He was going to be a sore and exhausted investigator when he returned to work in a few days.  But it was always worth it.

Standing he offered her his hand.  He had many sides, the one that was most often present was his loyal, doting, right-side-of-the-law protective gentlemen.  And despite what they were off to explore, he saw no reason that part of him should quit.  His many sides got along fine.

Anya arched an eyebrow in surprise, but accepted  his hand as she stood up.  With a wave to the bartender, she started to lead him out of the club.  She ignored some of the smirks and surprised looks from the club regulars.

Once outside in the velvet night's air,  she turned to look at Horatio.  "So," Anya said with that speculative gleam back in her eye.  "Are you willing to walk or do you want to drive?"  She normally walked, having no fear of the streets after dark.  She hadn't been attacked yet, and woe be to the first person who tried. 

"We'll walk,"  he hadn't driven any where near this place, but had taken a very long detour from his usual jogging route.  The night didn't bother him, and he hardley saw his team of investigators huddled over his body trying to solve HIS case.

He turned his dark blues towards her and licked his lips.  A five minute walk could be fairly long, he wondered, already feeling sensations beginning to stir.

He pulled her closer, releasing her hand to wrap it about her abdomen as they walked hip to hip now.  "Unless you think of something better than walking."

This man was bold, and she liked that.  She didn't resist as he pulled her a little closer.  "Walking will be fine for the moment."  Although it couldn't be said that she walked.  She sauntered with a fluid movement and a gracefulness that was reminiscent of a feline.

It would be a few minutes walk to her place, and Anya was curious.  "So why were you harassing one of the regulars?  What did he do?"  That was the only reason that she could think of Horatio being in the bar. She always liked to get information.  You never knew when what tidbit could prove useful.

Horatio considered her question for a few steps in silence.  He shouldn't reveal too much simply because he should not discuss cases outside of the CSI teams. 

He noted the fluidity of her movements as they walked, pressed to one another.  Though not exactly graceful, he walked with purpose and destination.

"His case went cold.  With a bit more encouragement it won't be so cold any more."  Was all he said, leaving it up to her to figure it out.  Though it revealed more about him than he had cared to, it was simple enough.

Anya shook her head, the pale moonlight glimmering on the chain connecting the ring on her nostril to her ear.  "Secrets have a way of being found out," she said.  "Especially in the face of one so persistent."

She turned and guided him up a set of stairs and into an apartment building.  And then it was up three flights of stairs to her apartment.  She opened a nondescript  door with the number 313 on it.  "After you," she said.

Inside was a room done in creams and accented with dark woods, giving it an Egyptian flair.  Small statuary of Bast, Anubis, and Horus decorated shelves, peeking out between dark leather bound volumes.  Her library wasn't as large as many Bubasti's, but she argued quality over quantity.  And overwatching it all was a print of a section of the Book of the Dead.

"So, Horatio," she said in a silky voice.  "Can I get you anything to drink?"

The room was a bit of a shock, though pleasant nonetheless.  Horatio had an eye for art and easily admired the Egyptian decor.  Though he knew it was much more than decor to Anya.

"Whatever you'll have is fine," he said, running a finger tip along the Anubis' ear before turning to join her, a hand along the small of her back. 

He wasn't particularly thirsty, though it would be an enhancement in the swift dance they were stepping to.  The hand along her back for this moment was as far as he'd go.  He rarely forgot his manners in such a dance, despite where it was leading.

Anya, still wearing a mysterious smile, moved to the kitchen.  "I hope beer is okay," she said, pulling out two glasses and two cans.  She poured them and then sauntered back over to where Horatio was standing.  "They claim that they're basing it off of an ancient Egyptian recipe, but I have my doubts.  Cheers," she said as she clinked her glass with his.

"May I ask you something, Horatio?" she said, looking at him over the edge of her glass.  "You don't seem the type to just pick someone up in a bar, let alone a goth bar.  Or have I read you wrong?"

Horatio took a pull from the glass, giving it an appreciating glance before looking up at her.  His gaze was always determined, calculating and he rarely moved his eyes from here to there too fast.  "No.  You got it right." 

With a slight raising of his brows he glanced back to the Anubis.  "I don't have time for bars unless there's a body involved.  And let's just say work has kept me from the picking-up part."  Though he had a woman here and there, they always seemed few and far between and not what he was looking for. 

His work life and love life where not things he looked to go hand in hand.  He wanted very different things for his love life than the work life offered.

"What else do you see about me?" he asked with a slight tilt to his head, placing a hand on the wall behind her and setting aside his glass to place that hand on his cocked hip as he stood face to face with her.

Her cool appraising glance slid up and down his body once more.  "I see a man who is dedicated to his work.  But one who leads a lonely life."  Anya started to walk in circle around him.  "A man who needs to let go and throw caution to the wind."

Completing her slow circuit around him, Anya stopped in front of  him.  Her green eyes seemed to speak volumes even though she said only a few words.  One hand came up to rest on each shoulder.  "And I am the person who can give that to you.  If you trust me."

Horatio lowered his chin but held her gaze, considering her words.  "I don't have reason to trust you, but I did start this for a reason."  Lieing to himself, he really had no idea why he had decided to start this part of his life up again. 

He had settled into work, and though it wasn't 'routine', perhaps he finally felt comfortable enough with it to allow his life away from it to grow again.

"Let's see if you can gain my trust," he raised his chin at that, as if a challenge. 

Anya's eyes narrowed as she smiled in amusement.  Little did he know that few people trusted her, and wisely so.  She held her secrets, was prided for her discretion, but people usually found her somewhat offsetting.  Perhaps it was part of her Bubasti heritage.  Perhaps it had to do with her tattoo and her piercings. 

Her hands came up to rest on his chest.  "It's been a while, hasn't it?" she said.  "I can read it in  the way you carry yourself."  Her hands moved slowly up and down, caressing his muscles.  She placed her lips near his ear. "Relax.  I'll take care of you."

"Too long," he said lowly, turning his head slightly to look at her.  He wasn't sure he could relax, she was seeing straight through him.  And the walls he had built around himself he had not even felt until now, not truly. 

His attitude... even the way he spoke.  It came rushing into his mind with sudden jolts.  He hadn't been this way a few years ago and he wondered what exactly had put those walls there between him and the people he wanted most.  The wall was preventing him from most of the actions his heart told him it yearned after. 

It was time to at least try.  Her promises were too much for him to not.  Her breath and words so close to his ear made him want to shiver, another thing he realized he was successfully hiding from himself and her, as if he was paralized.

Placing a hand over hers he felt his heart pulsing, something not so easily hidden.  "Say it again," he whispered, obeying his heart with hesitent steps as his eyes lowered to her lips.

Anya turned her head so she could blow against his ear lightly.  "Relax," she whispered again.  "I'll take care of you."  Her thumbs slipped around so she could rub them against his hands. 

She leaned a bit closer, inhaling his scent.  He smelled innocent compared to many of the others she dealt with.  And he was - he was human.  She had worked so long in the underside of the club scene, dealt with vampires and Bastet and other creatures of the night, she had forgotten the simple pleasures of being with a human.

Standing up on her tiptoes, she lightly brushed her lips across his, waiting to see his reaction.

Horatio released a slight sigh as she inhaled his scent.  It had been too long since he'd heard the faint sound of a woman do that around him. 

He felt tense muscles shift as her lips brushed his, looking down into her dark greens.  Bringing a hand up between her shoulder blades, fingers curling slightly as they met and tangled in her silky hair before pressing.  He parted his lips, his kiss gentle at first, seeking and unsure.

A good eight inches taller than her he bent lower for her, feeling the flesh-warmed metal of her piercings grazing against his cheek and jaw.

He tasted almost innocent.  Although it seemed that he knew what he was doing, he was just out of practice.  Anya let her lips part, encouraging him onwards.  She was more than willing to let him have control for the moment.

Letting her hands slip around to his chest, she started to run her hands up and down his chest, learning his muscles.  Anya smiled into the kiss and then pulled back slightly.  "Shall we move this to the bedroom?" she asked.

A slight spark to his dark eyes, perhaps like a flame trying to emerge from ash, told her all she needed to know in answer.  Stooping slightly he lifted her from behind her legs, both hands holding her straddling his hips beneath her thighs.

"Lead the way," he said, anticipation and the first real hint of yearning in his voice.  He didn't wait for directions, finding the door next to the kitchenette.  The decor similar to the room he had just left, all of the eyes in the room... he shook the thought fast.

Setting her on the bed he kneeled half way to the floor as if in worship, drawing her lips down with his in a seeking kiss.  His hands resting on her thighs rubbed upward.

While in his arms Anya squirmed against his torso, liking what she was feeling her legs wrapped around.  This human was a mystery - one moment bold and forward, the next shy and hesitant.  It would take a long time to unravel the secrets of this one.

And it was time to start revealing one secret - namely what was hiding beneath those street clothes. Pushing the jogger's jacket off his shoulders, Anya traced her hands over his arms, learning the curves of his muscles, before she started to pull the plain white t-shirt over his head.

Aiding her to rid of his shirt Horatio let it drop to the floor beside him, revealing his lean and muscled upper torso.  Seemingly without an ounce an fat his muscles were long and thin, not bulging but not scrawny.  The result of often putting his own body to the limit with sheer stress, he barely kept his muscle mass where it was at times.

Feeling the material of the skin-fit catsuite beneath his palms Horatio ran his hands up her thighs to the inward curve of her abdomen sides and around to her back.  Beneath her long strands of jet black he felt the end of the zipper and followed it up to the little zipper-flag. 

Placing one knee on the bed next to her he half straddled her lap as he eased the zipper down her curving spine, his eyes on hers as he did so and finally revealing more and more desire within their depths.

Her hands were tracing down his body, following the curves of muscles.  Anya did lean back so she could peel her arms out of the upper part of her suit.  But teasingly, she kept the bodice tucked against her chest, leaving it for him to remove.

Then her nimble fingers went back to work.  Teasingly, she stroked down his wiry muscles, lightly tickling him, and then went to work on unbuttoning his fly

Her tickling touch drew half held sighs from him, sounds he couldn't restrain.  Bending close he inched the catsuite down above her breasts with his teeth, his hands learning the shape of her arms as she unzipped him.

Abandoning the suite to kiss along her flesh with tongue and teeth he reached up with one hand to peel the suite down to her lap in one slow motion.  Kissing the valley between her breasts his helping hand cupped one, gently kneading the curve pressed in his palm.

Unzipped the pants still clung tightly around his hips, a bit too tightly in one area.  Preoccupied, he left them for her to deal with.

"Mmmmmrrrrrmmmm..."  Anya arched forward into his touch, feeling her nipple harden.  One hand slipped up to guide his hand to his head and guide it over to her other nipple, squirming in impatience.

Her other hand continued to tug at his pants, pulling them down and out of the way.  Then she got to work on his boxers, which Anya was pleased to see a sizable bulge in them.  Teasingly, she ran her fingertip along the length of him.

Inhaling sharply as she ran her fingertip along his length his hips instinctively moved to her touch, following it with a short thrust.  The surprised gasp and moan vibrated against her flesh where his mouth pressed.

His lips moved further south, blowing cool air across a nipple before taking it between his lips to run a moist tongue across it's hardened attention.

His hand did as obeyed, taking the nipple between thumb and index to roll, tug, twist, and pinch.  He did this gently at first and then harder until pleasure came from the sharp pain. 

Anya's purr became a constant rumble in the background.  Her hips started a slow roll against his lap, her fingers lightly teasing over his length.  The ache in her nipples was echoed by a throb in her pelvis.

Her fingers curved around his cock, slowly traveling up and down.  She gently squeezed, measuring both length and girth and let out a pleased smile.

Releasing a sigh with a whispering "aaaah..." Horatio laid his head on her breast, feeling each touch and stroke of her hand along his length.  The vibration of her purr caused a slight confusion.  He knew the sound, given practice, was easy to make but it sounded so catlike and too unhuman.

Setting both feet on the floor once more his knees leaned into the side of the mattress.  Much as he was enjoying her skillfull hands he pushed her shoulder down to the bed with gentle pressure.  Reaching down he lifted her hips to finish peeling off the catsuite.

His lips and tongue tasted every new inch of newly exposed flesh, his hands continue down past her legs as his mouth haulted a few inches below her navel to inhale her scent.

Anya gently ran her nails through his hair, her purr intensifying.  Her other touch also shifted so her nails teasingly scratched him.  He hadn't batted an eye at her piercings or her tattoos, which made her wonder exactly what he would bat an eye at.

She could think of one thing, and it might be fun to see if he could handle it.

"Horatio," she purred softly.  "How well can you keep a secret?"

Blowing cool air on her pierced navel Horatio smiled.  "Anya, my job is about keeping secrets... I do it too well."  He took the piercing between his teeth, flicking his tongue over it and tugging gently. 

Running hands up her thighs either side of him he rested his chin on her stomach.  "You need to tell me something?" 

"It's something you don't need to know, but I want you to..."  She wasn't sure why she was going to show him this.  "There is more to me than meets the eye."  She gestured towards the statues of Bast, Sekhmet and Seti.  "I am one of a rare and ancient breed.  I am what is known as a Bastet Bubasti - a shapeshifter."

Eyes narrowed, she issued an ultimatum.  "Do not hide the need to laugh, nor waste words trying to reason with my 'insanity.'  If you wish to continue this, I will show you my true nature.  Otherwise, dress and leave at once."

Horatio wasn't sure to make of it, but he wasn't one to laugh easily, and usually kept his inner thoughts private.  Giving her a level gaze as he lifted his chin from her abdomen he studeied her face for a moment and thought of her words, the tone... there was nothing to suggest insanity, though she was clearly hiding something.  He thought it a trick, a play on words perhaps and tilted his head at her.

"Show me," he said simply, without any hint of laughter or sarcasm.  He didn't inch from his position but didn't restrain her in hers.  His face wasn't skeptical, he had learned long ago how to hide his emotions from people he wasn't sure of.

He had the bravery of a lion and the curiosity of a cat, something Anya strongly approved.  She pulled her legs from out from underneath him, needing plenty of room to shapshift.  Staring at him she called upon the cat within. 

It started with her ears.  They grew pointed as the black of her tattoo became lost in fur appearing on her skin.  Her body lengthened as her cheekbones became more pronounced and her chin shrank.   Nails became claws as a long black tail appeared. 

But she only paused a second there before continuing her transformation.  Her body now began to shrink into something smaller, though still thin and angular.  Although her breed was supposed to be of the extinct kyphurs, she looked more like a caracal with black fur.  Where a woman had sat, now a thin black cat with wide green eyes and a chain connecting its nose and ear stared back unblinking.

At first Horatio wasn't sure what he was seeing.  Then he thought it some magic trick, or hologram.  But as her body began shrinking he felt a cold prickling along his arms and neck beneath the skin as his mind slowly reeled.

Taking in the cat with an unbelieving stare his eyes flashed left and right, expecting to see Anya standing in the corner and laughing or grinning at the trick she just performed.  Then he registered the chain.

"Fuck!"  He flung himself from the bed, back pedaling until something stopped him, painfully.  He was panicing, his breathing was fast and eratic as he tried to push against whatever was behind him.  "No!  Fuck no!"  He stumbled for the door, eyes never leaving the cat.  "Anya?"  As if calling for her to come in from outside and get rid of this... cat with her piercing.

Well, it was going better than she expected.  He was still conscious and somewhat rational.  With that in mind, Anya began to reverse the process, this time not pausing in the catwoman form.  Slowly her body became human and her tattoo visible as her fur receded.

Now it was time to see what Horatio was made of.  "Right here," she said, still sitting on the bed.  It would be up to him to reach out, or to run away.

Still pressed up against the wall Horatio regarded her with suspicion, taking time to breath and slow his pounding heart.  He was quietly berating himself.  He never lost his cool unless it was to defend some one, and even then only if there was no other way.  He wasn't supposed to get all jumpy over something strange... even as strange as this?

As if testing his legs he slowly and haultingly approached the bed.  Even slower to sit on it and still slower to reach out and touch Anya's face and ears. 

"A different... species." He said, remembering her words as his brows furrowed.  "You weren't kidding."  Eyeing her body up and down before adding: "Does it hurt?"

She smiled at him.  Yes, bravery as well as curiosity.  She had chosen wisely.  Anya turned her head into his touch.  "It does, but I'm used to it.  My gift does have a cost, and pain is one of them."  As was anything that resembled a normal life, but that was beside the point.

"There are those who would kill both of us, knowing that I've revealed myself and my kind to you," she said in a serious tone.  Anya had seen it happen before.  And there was still a twinge of worry that it would happen now.

Horatio regarded her with a sober expression, hand now lightly rubbing her ear and feeling her hair betweem his fore and thumb.  "They don't need to know, Anya.  I have no one to tell."

Seeing her body in a new light Horatios hand traveled from her neck to her torso, outlining each curve with new fascination.  He wanted her now more than he had before, that growing desire was turning into a raging pit of unquenchable fire as his eyes caressed her body.

Leaning over her he placed his lips back to her flesh along the curve of her hip.  In this position he appeared to be worshipping her, something he qas quite aware of.

Her hand lightly stroked his head.  It was rare that a human accept her without questioning, and something precious.  Something that had been all too rare in her life.

Anya's eyes were half hooded as she watched Horatio kiss her flesh.  She was tempted to make a joke about his reverential attitude, that just because cats were worshipped over two thousand years ago, didn't mean he had to today.  But instead she patted the bed beside her.  "Come up here," she urged.

Horatio, slowly feeling more comfortable, wasn't about to let the body before him go to waste.  Still, he obeyed, in his own way.  Moving up her body in a pain stakingly slow journey as he licked and nibbled along her stomach to her ribs, breasts, collar bone, and chin.  All the while slowly rearranging his body to press against hers.

"Like this?"  Before taking her lips in a brief kiss and then moving to her ear lobe.

"Something like that," Anya purred as she pressed him back against the mattress.  She half rolled on top of him and stared down at him with her sparkling green eyes.  She leaned down to kiss his lips lightly and then lick at the tip of his nose.

Her purr became even more pronounced as she nuzzled his cheek, pressing kisses and licks to his skin.  She enjoyed the rasp of his way after five o'clock shadow against her skin and tongue.  Licking and nipping, she started to work her way along his jaw and neck.

Horatio had never taken a bath quite like this, and it was much more pleasant than having a dog greet him after work.  Her tongue was rough and while moist, quite dry and didn't leave a sticky residue.  He soon found himself enjoying her tongue on his bare flesh as it left a tingling along his skin.

Lifting his head he exposed more of his neck for her, leaning up into the caresses.  "Don't hesitate to use those teeth," it was a plea, he wanted to bleed for her.

Anya didn't let her surprise show at his request, although it wasn't one she was unfamiliar with.  She hadn't just expected to hear it coming from someone who appeared so mundane.  She knew that looks could be  deceiving, but it was a lesson she had to relearn every so often.

As she reached his pectoral muscles, her open mouthed licks became sharp nips.  Each love bite became progressively harder, until her teeth just barely drew blood, which she immediately lapped away.  "Like that?" she asked with a sly grin. 

ith each love bite from her sharp teeth Horatio arched his spine with need, head lolling to the side as his fingers sought and gripped the sheets beneath them.  As she drew blood and lapped at it he moaned, fingers digging into the bed.  "Yes," a breathless, desirous whisper.  "Just like that."

Looking down into her greens his growing lust from her love bites echoed in his dark blues.  She had not expected he wanted it like this, he realized and reached out to her.  "Anya, I'm not what ... I like it this way, and I like to give it this way."

As if in caress he reached and threaded fingers into her hair, only to tighten his grip and pull her head down and back to capture her lips in a kiss.

His statement had freed the animal need in her.  She returned the kiss with a tender ferocity, nipping at his lips, making certain he felt the edge of her teeth.  If that was what he wanted, Anya was more than willing to give it.  As well as receive it. Her nails dug into his flesh as well, then drew down his shoulders in a scratching motion.

Pulling away from his mouth, she resumed her downward path, grooming him again.  This time her bites were without hesitation and drew blood.  They were only love bites as far as most Bastet would be concerned, but few humans she knew indulged in such.

Horatio sighed and moaned as she continued her southern journey, fingers tangling into her long silky strands in a petting motion above her neck.  "Just like that," he moaned after a moment, eyes closing with bliss.

With each bite he grew that much more eager and hungry.  Each lick upon the fresh blood made him gasp and moan, his fingers in her hair kneading her neck with encouragement.

Anya continued working her way down his body, first nuzzling, then biting, and finally licking each place she encountered.  All his movements were encouraging her on, as well as the loud moans he was making.

As she reached his navel, she paused to worry the soft flesh just below it.  She sank her teeth in and lightly shook her head back and forth, like a predator.

Gasping loudly Horatio's fingers dug into and pulled on the sheets, partially straining against their resistence and in the process flexing his abdomen and chest.  A mumbled oath before he reached down and scratched Anya's ear.  "Go lower," he begged, legs shifting their positions in eager wait. 

He could still feel each sting of the little love bites decorating his chest and stomach, they tingled like goosebumps and smarted like paper cuts as he breathed heavily.

Releasing her hold on his stomach, Anya moved a little lower and to the left to tease at his hip.  She bit down on the muscle hard then soothed it with her tongue, wanting to leave a mark to remind him always of this night.  To mark him as hers. 

She resumed the downward search, biting and licking her way to his inner thigh.  His cries and groans and wiggling made her squirm in anticipation. Her hand scratched down his other thigh as she sank her teeth into him yet again.

Panting with restrain his legs flexed and spread, heels digging into the matress.  His fist kneaded the handful of sheets it gripped.  "Anya ple..." he gasped as her hand scratched down his thigh, cut off in mid plea.

Hips twitched in abondoned thrusts as he propped himself up on both elbos to witness her teeth in action with his own eyes.  Now seeing, not only feeling each bite; it doubled the experience, made his head reel as he was reduced to sensations of pleasurable pains.

Reaching out he guided her hand that had scrathced him; pressing her sharp nails into his flesh.

Anya dug her nails in stronger. He seemed to be enjoying this immensely.  And so was she.  It was rare to find a human who got so down right enthusiastic about being bitten and scratched.  He was curious as to how far she could take this rough play.  And she decided to find out.

Swiftly, she turned her head and ran her teeth the length of his erection with slight pressure, waiting to see his reaction.

A lancing, brief, white pain ran up the sensitive flesh and vien of his exposed and yearning erection.  Vision and breathing were put on hold as his eyes closed and head flung back, breath was held, and knuckles took on another shade of white. 

The pain was the kind to slowly disapate, leaving a pleasant afterburning sensation along his length.  Relaxing as the initial pain faded he released a held sighing moan, turning his eyes onto her as he panted and a small smile appeared.

Reaching out he gently rubbed her ear, a shiver coarsing him as his hand moved to her mouth and nudged her lip up to reveal the tips of her teeth. 

Oh yes, he was definitely liking this if his touches were any indications.  Carefully Anya repeated the motion, this time with her teeth perpendicular to his length, letting her lips drag behind.  Meanwhile her nails had dug into his thighs.

She fell into a pattern that gave them both pleasure.  Her fingers would dance back up as her mouth descended, and rake down him as she swallowed him again.  All the while the low rumble of Anya's purr could be heard.

Panting, Horatio watched her for a moment, moans suppressed into sighing whimpers until he finally arched his spine back to the bed to close his eyes and just feel.  The pattern was anything but predictable, though familiar... it was obviously new.  Each time her teeth and nails were sent up and down his member there was new sensations. 

Sometimes the pain was highlighted enough he could swear she was raking him a bit harder, other times the drag of her lips was what made him moan and reign in a thrash of a leg to a simple flexing.

And her purr.  He kept forgetting that it was from her, the slight vibration along the back of her tongue reminded him as he writhed in an ecstacy he had never known before. 

Anya continued to suck on him and purr, her nails raising fresh welts with every pass.  But she kept him guessing what he would feel next, the velvet of the inside of her lips, the light rasp of her tongue, or the firm scratching pressure of her teeth.

Her own legs were squirming with her own need.  Soon it would be his turn to take care of her.  She just hoped he was up to the task.

The edge of so near and so far.  Horatio felt his end building, so soon and it been so long since his last.  He wanted it and began gently and slowly thrusting against her teeth, tongue, and lips.  His pants became soft grunts as he reached for ecstacy.

Spine suddenly going ridged Horatio moaned her name aloud as he fed her his seed. 

She sucked hard, realizing what was happening.  Anya swallowed everything he had to give, her tongue still working against his sensitive flesh.

Smiling lazily, she pulled away from him and climbed up his body.  Her movements were smooth and confident, a cat on the prowl for her prey.  Grinning and giving every appearance of being pleased with herself, she settled on her side next to Horatio, resting a hand on his chest, waiting for him to come back to himself.

Breathing hard Horatio lay for a few minutes, just feeling.  Feeling his heart rate slowly descend, feeling the continueing sensations of her love bites, feeling her next to him and her hand on his rising and falling chest.

"Anya," he breathed, his voice full of wonder and desire as he opened his eyes and turned his head towards her.  Pressing his lips to hers he could already feel the early, weak twitching of a returning life. 

Anya smirked at him, glancing down and seeing the slight movement.  "I guess it is true.  You can't keep a good man down," she quipped. 

She moved her hand up and down his torso, stroking lightly, just barely letting her nails scratch against his skin.  Anya stretched out against him.  "So..." she drawled.  "Enjoying yourself, Horatio?"  She already knew the answer, but she wanted to hear him say it.

"More and more," Horatio breathed, a sighing moan.  He lay his head against hers as his body continued it's recovery.  "And we've just started," he gave a brief chuckle, abdomen rippling under her teasing scratches.

Shifting slightly so he could look at her Horatio studied her face a moment before wondering: "Why did you accept me, back in the bar?"  It wasn't every day he hit on a cat-lady and got invited to her personal kitty quarters.  And he had a sneaking suspiscion there were others like her, the ones who might kill them both, others she knew and who disapproved of ones not like them.

Or maybe that was his inner profile trying to profile something he wasn't yet sure he was sure of.

Anya shrugged her shoulders.  That was something she trying to figure out as well.  One of her fingers traced through his hair as she thought.  "I was in the mood for something a bit different.  And with you in those normal clothes, that all American look, in the bar, well, that was different."

Her fingers moved down to stroke her nails lightly across his cheek.   "I was also attracted to you.  Believe it or not, it has been a long time since I've spent the night with anyone.  Even longer since it's been anything even close to a long term relationship."

That caught Horatio off gaurd.  Placing his hand over hers and pressing it to his cheek his dark eyes held a different shade, something lighter though not revealing.  "It's been a long time for me too, a very long time."  It seemed like ages.  "And the lonliness only makes it seem longer."

Bringing her hand down he pressed his nose and lips to her fingers, inhaling her scent before gently peppering her knuckles with kisses.  "I could do with something long term," he watched her closely.  "Let us see what tomarrow brings."

Tattoo distorting slightly from her eyebrow raising, Anya looked at him, surprised as well.  She hadn't really been thinking beyond a night's pleasure when she invited Horatio to her home.  And most of the people she had brought home also thought the same way.  "We'll see what happens tomorrow then," Anya said.

She leaned forward and carefully kissed his mouth, nipping his lower lip.  He tasted delicious, and she was hungry for more.  "So tell me, Horatio," she said with a lazy purr.  "Do you give as good as you get?"    "Depends," Horatio offered a secretive smile as he nipped back at her upper lip.  Rolling atop her he straddled her thighs as he bent his head to continue exploring her lips with his teeth and tongue.  "Depends, Anya, on how much you're willing to get."

As he laid kisses on her one hand felt along her shoulder and upper arms, tracing muscles and straightening the elbo as he gripped her wrist and pinned it up over her head.  His other hand connected her wrists together, the right hand now holding them both as the other came down to her body.

"I could ask you, 'how much do you want me to give, kitten?' but it wouldn't be very rewarding... I think we both want our surprises."  Cupping her left breast he kneaded and pressed into it while his kiss pressed against hers, deep and thirsty.

He obviously didn't know about the superior strength of the Bastet.  And Anya  didn't inform him either.  Instead she writhed and squirmed against him as he teased her, playing along.  She kissed him just as hungrily, drinking in his scent and taste.

Still wiggling her hips beneath him,  she lifted her leg and wrapped them around his waist.  "I'd say I could handle whatever you  can dish out."  Her purr, which had only quieted and not stopped at any point, increased in volume.  "So, surprise me."

"Yes," Horatio hmmed.  "I bet you could.  In fact, I know you can," she wasn't human after all.  Reaching down he slid her leg off of him while he slid down her body, wirey muscles stretching until he was forced to release her wrists.

Hovering at her navel he kissed her there, tongue flicking in briefly until another kiss, slightly lower at the fine line of fur leading downward.  His hand was before schedule, gently touching her slit, sliding up and down before barely parting the lips.

The catch of her breath in surprise interrupted Anya's purr.  She lifted her head to stare down at the head cradled on her stomach and working its way loser.  Her legs parted as she licked her lips in anticipation of his actions. 

Now that her wrists were free, she reached down and caressed the top of his head, applying a gentle pressure to encourage him further southwards.  "Horatio," she murmured, a breathy sigh as he continued to caress her with his hand.

Horatio moved slow at her gentle nudges, laying soft licks upon her lower belly and blowing cool air on them as he painstakingly made his way closer and closer to what she wanted. 

His finger delved further.  Pressing against her swollen center at the wall of her sex before drawing out.  Sliding around and against her outer lips he smeared her moisture along them and gently pinched her clit before once more entering to repeat the whole slow and teasing process.

One last kiss to her belly before he finally gazed down upon her, his finger already making love before he arrived (though it didn't stop now).  He watched as he repeated the process again, this time blowing a stream of cool air upon her wet sex as his finger pressed her clit.

Anya moved her hips lazily in time with the push of his finger.  She wanted to say that the needy noise she had let out wasn't a whimper that sounded like a new born kitten's cry.  And that she wasn't squirming, eager for more of his touch.

As he touched her clit, a shudder passed through her.  The pleasure was building in her, filling her, ready to spill over and flood her being.  But she didn't want it to happen just quite yet.

Horatio withdrew his finger, slowly and fully, to lick and suck it clean of her before applying a hungrier part of himself to the task.  Inhaling deeply he leaned in, tongue flicking against her lips and clit before probing into her. 

His moan was muffled as his taste buds and senses were overwhelmed by everything Anya.  Teeth pressed into her clit, a constant pressure as his kiss reached deep and explored his new desire.

Anya let out another moan as she pressed against his mouth.  Shivering under the constant pressure, she began to tremble, her hands clutching at the sheets beneath her on the bed.  Giving in to the sensations, she let go of her control and let out a primal yowl of a cat in heat as she came.

She managed not to shift, although she wanted to badly.  Instead she dug her fingernails hard into Horatio's shoulders, scratching deeply.

Horatio pressed against her hard with a forced grunt as she simultaneously came and dug her nails into his shoulders.  His own hands gripped the sheets to focus the pain for a few more seconds as he lapped up the remaining warm liquid from her.

Moaning as he pulled away Horatio first reached up to grip her hands and sooth her nails out of his shoulders.  A hiss through clenched teeth as he rolled each shoulder.  "Anya," he whispered, inhaling her one last time before crawling up her body, layering kisses along each breast. 

Looking up with hungry and soft eyes: "Did you want to change, right then?"  Thin trails of blood tickled both of his shoulders. 

Anya nodded, eyes still a bit unfocussed from the pleasure.  "That doesn't happen too often," she said, lightly running her fingertips over his shoulders.  Spontaneous shifting only occurred during highly emotional moments.  And not usually to an older Bastet such as herself.

She tilted her head, considering him carefully.  "You sure you could handle it?  You were a little spooked when you saw me earlier."     "You didn't really brace-" Horatio cut himself off with a smile.  "Well, what could have really prepared me for that part of you?"  Crawling up over her abdomen he lay his head against her breast, hearing the strong beat of something more than it appeared.

"I can handle it," he spoke after a moment's silence to reflect on his earlier reaction.  Lifting his head to look her in the eye: "Don't hold yourself back, Anya."  His erection pressed against her thigh, though he didn't move to enter her yet. 

Anya gently stroked his head, lightly purring in lazy anticipation.  "I won't hold back, I promise," she said.  A devilish glint appeared in those green eyes.  "However, you're going to have make me scream again and then we'll see what happens."

He felt hot and hard against her thigh.  She lightly shifted the leg between his, rubbing against him.  "And if your performance earlier was any indication, you'll have no problems doing that.

Horatio gasped softly as she rubbed against him.  He wanted her to scream again, wanted to feel those claws in his flesh and her body tightening beneath him.  Wanted to see her change again, because of him.

Shifting his hips he guided himself to her entrance, reaching down to slightly rub his head between her lips, up and down.  Then he pressed, slowly entering her and slowly feeling her swallow him to the hilt.  Releasing a breath like a sighing moan he bent down to kiss her before moving any further.

She returned the kiss eagerly.  He was stretching her pleasantly. Eagerly, she spread her legs wider and then wrapped them around his waist.

As if teasingly, her hands slid lower down his back to rest on his ass.  Her fingers crooked into his flesh in imitation of what her claws would do.  She applied pressure, trying to get him deeper inside of her. 

Starting as she dug fingertips into him he pressed down and up into her, grinding hard in response as he broke the kiss.

Biting her lip, Horatio wanted to taste the blood but he knew blunt teeth had to pinch a lot before blood would trickle.  Instead he sucked, licked, as he gazed into her eyes.

What he wanted to do to her, he realized too late, would have been better executed up against a wall where there was more purchase. 

Slowly, wanting to build her up, he withdrew from her to his tip.  Paused.  Released her lip.  Slid back in, a smidge faster.  As their groins met he pressed down and up again, driving himself in that much further.

Planting her feet flat against the bed, she shoved up against him, letting out a loud purr.  Her nails dug deeper into his flesh as she nipped at his mouth.   Her deep green eyes stared back at his.

Deciding to give into her desire, she she slowly starting to shapeshift beneath him.  Her body streched and reformed, tail lashing out from between their legs.  Then she would be able to bring her claws to bear on him.   Horatio moaned, deep, as he saw her shifting begin.  He dug in with the next thrust, hands gripping the bed above her shoulders to give her support as his thrusts grew in strength: in hard and then up her body as his crotch met hers.  Each movement in jerking them up the bed slightly and then back with each withdrawl.

Her stretching body excited him, a shivering that was hidden by the tense muscle control of each thrust.  But his eyes shone and the pupils were large within their dark blue orbs.

Anya scratched up and down his back, her claws raising welts on his skin.  Her fur on her back was being rubbed the wrong way from the force of his thrusts, adding a delicious friction.  Her purr grew louder, being easier to make in this form.

Her green eyes with their slitted pupils wide stared at his as she writhed under him. Her breath was coming hard and fast.  But she needed something more from him to reach her completion.

The changes he saw in her were scaring him, though not as before.  Fear in an andrenaline-pumping thriller.  A fear he wanted to carress and coax and get to know to understand.  Though perhaps it was just the strangness of it, he knew it was something deeper.  With all her power and strength she had still chosen him to mate, to reveal herself to...

The sensations of her body against his changed with everything else.  The fur against his thighs and stomach.  The changes surrounding and massaging his thick changed as well, though were harder to pin point as a familiar stirring within his gut began.

Grunting with each hard thrust still Horatio reached down with one hand, rubbing the fur along her sides and abdomen until he squeezed his hand between their bodies.  Finding her clit he pressed it between her body and his thumb. 

Leaning over her he briefly kissed her before turning his head to bite her shoulder.

Anya's purr was punctuated with a mrrrow as his teeth pinched her shoulder.  Her tail lashed against his calf with a stinging thwack as she squirmed against her lover, trying to get the stimulation that she needed.

And when the waves of pleasure began she jerked against him.  Her teeth closed around his shoulder, slicing into the flesh, leaving her mark. 

Horatio's moan and yelp were muffled as he bit into her furry shoulder harder with the pain from her teeth.  But the pain felt so good. 

He held back, thrusting, pinching, biting, and waiting for her climax before releasing his own.  He used her shoulder to muffle his cry as he gave in, coming hard and long into her slick walls. 

Even though her jaws were clamped on his shoulder, Anya tried to keep enough control not to snap the bone or separate his shoulder.  One paw slammed against the bed, claws slashing deep through the sheets and into the mattress below.

Releasing him from her mouth, she arched up beneath him, taking all that he had to give.  She remained tensed beneath him for a few moments and then relaxed beneath him.  Her purr took on a soft tone and a lazy satisfaction as her tongue appeared to sweep along his cheek.

Horatio lifted from her, rested his body right up next to her as she licked his cheek with her rough tongue.  He lay one leg over hers possessivley as he took in her shifted form with glazed eyes.  Kissing along her whiskers he felt the change from silky and short bristles of fur to the longer, smoother whiskers against his lips with a contented sigh.

His shoulder ached, he felt the sticky and pinching sensation of an open wound, partly still bleeding and partly crusted with drying blood.  It felt like a badge, a marking; he was territory.  Like he belonged to the CSI, he now belonged to Anya.

Settling into the bed and against her curves he laid a hand along her furry abdomen, lazily tracing circles in her fur.  "Do you mark all of us?" He half asked, half wondered aloud as he buried his nose into her shoulder.

Anya stretched her full body, letting out a lazy cat yawn.  As her body retracted, she shape shifted.  The large angular black cat was gone, replaced with the sensuous woman.  But cat like, her jaws snapped shut.  "Only the ones I intend to keep," she said with a sated look in her eye.

Her hands ran over his back.  She let out a little hmmm noise as her fingers caught on the the bite mark she had inflicted on his shoulder.  "Didn't think I bit so hard," she said semi-apologetically.  "Let me get a bandage for you."  Slowly she climbed off the bed.  "Do you want to use the shower and clean up some?" 

Rising from the bed Horatio looked over his shoulder at the bite mark  and smirked.  "Only if you join me," he said, voice low and lazy.   Following her to the bathroom his eyes wandered once more over the  home decor.  So she intended to keep him, part of that mellowed him,  though it wasn't as if he was usually excitable.  It took  something... special, to get his gaurd on the fritz.  Something  special.

Catching her by her hips he held her back against him, catching her  gaze in the bathroom mirror as he laid his lips along her shoulder. 

She leaned back against his firm body, turning her head to nip at his ears, teasingly similar to when she nipped him earlier.  Anya didn't take lovers for too long, a relationship demands for intimacy and closeness and honesty becoming problems given the secretive nature of Bubasti.  But she found herself this time it would be different with this man.

Still, he didn't seem the type to follow strange women home.  Or at least that's what she thought.  "What were you doing in the bar earlier, Horatio?  And be honest," she added with a lazy grin, although her eyes were sharply watching him.  "Looking for that case of yours, or for someone like me?"

Horatio's eyes rose in the mirror to meet hers.  He didn't answer  right away, gazing steadily at her for a moment.  He wasn't one to  answer questions like this, usually avoided by a phone call.  But his  cell phone had been turned off. 

"What if I said both?"  his hands traced her curves up to her  shoulders.  His words rarely came easily when dealing with emotion,  and now was no exception.  He spoke slow, finding each word before  using it.  "I wasn't looking.  Haven't been for a while.  Tonight...  was different I guess, after seeing you.  Too lonely and too brave."

"A good answer.  An honest answer," she said.  Honesty was something she usually considered a liability, given the dark underworld of intrigue she lived in.  Say too much to the wrong vampire was a way to find yourself impaled on a silver knife, or some other equally unpleasant punishment.

So it was with great hesitation she said the next words.  "And the same one I have," she admitted.  Her hands went behind his back to clasp him as well as she could in this position.  It was easier to talk to his reflection than to face him directly.  "I don't come across many people like you, Horatio, and I'm finding myself loathe to let you get away easily."

One hand left her shoulder, tracing a fingertip up underneath the  waterfall of hair to comb the soft, slightly shorter hair along her  nape.  Her words had no physical affect on him, not right away.  As a  CSI he had long learned how to hide deep emotions. 

As his facade broke though, there lay a want, a yearning so deep that  it was pain written on his face as he looked at their  reflection.  "I'm not leaving as long as you'll have me," was all he  said, though there was so much more spoken in his look, his touch,  and tone. 

Moving her hair aside with a gentle combing of his hand he kissed her  nape, inhaling her scent as he maintained eye contact in the mirror.   His other hand reached back to grasp hers, holding them together  loosely. 

Anya entwined their fingers, squeezing lightly.  She leaned back against him, resting her weight on his shoulder.  "Then that's settled," she said.  It wasn't going to be an easy relationship for either of them.  He was an officer sworn to uphold the law, and she had no problems making less than ethical deals.

But that could be faced in the morning light.  She turned to face him.  "So do you want to get into that shower or not?" she asked with a bit of a smirk.

He felt he was sleeping with the enemy, making a very fragile deal  with the devil...  If his team knew they about this relationship  could question him, lose respect, lose dignity.  He wasn't avoiding  the potential problems, he just hoped he could still do the right  thing if the problems got in the way of 'normal' life for his work.

"There's more than a shower I'd like to get into," Horatio smirked at  her and, teasingly, released her hands and stepped into the shower  alone.

"Soon.  I promise," Anya grinned.  She added a playful snap of her teeth near his neck.  She followed him into the stall, eyeing his backside appreciatively.  Idly, she wondered if she could convince him to get a tattoo.

"First, I want to play a little more."  She stepped up behind him, pressing herself against his bare back.  Her hands slipped around his waist, tracing up his abdomen over firm muscles.  "Do you like games, Horatio?" she asked in a sultry voice.

Closing his eyes at her touch Horatio raised a brow at her  question.  "Not usually, no."  His hands come up to lightly follow  hers, touching her thin wrists and fingers as they drew goosebumps  from his skin. 

"But something tells me I'll like your idea of a game," usually his  games involved murder, rape, etc.  It had been a while since he last  played this sort of game.  "Show me," he threw a look over his  shoulder at her, lashes attempting to hide him. 

"Oh, I'm sure you'll enjoy it," Anya purred.  "Cats are great game players.  We like to toy with our prey."  her fingers ghosted up and down his arms, nails barely biting into his skin.  "We even let it think that he is going to get away before pouncing and moving in for the kill."

Her fingers now scratched down his back, leaving light red welts.  "You sure you want to leave yourself open to that option?  Hmmm?"

His instincts from the field were blaring "NO" but he knew he was  safe, this was just a game and not the real life and death events  he'd been played into.  She was giving him ideas and sensations on a  new level.

"I'm open," he arched against her fingers, releasing a shuddering  breath.

"Are you?" she purred, her voice silky smooth.  "So many people believe they are.  So many believe that they can handle whatever life throws at them."  Her nails circled around the bone of his hip and then began a torturous path back up his abdomen and chest. 

"But when it comes to that one moment," Anya continued, almost conversationally.  "They aren't.  Their minds snap shut tighter than an steel bear trap.  So the question becomes, Horatio, how much do you trust me?"  Now her claws were raking down his chest, their destination apparent.

His lips moved, jaw slack as her nails began their travel down his  chest.  Closing his eyes he took a breath, bending his arms back to  lay his hands on her hips.  "I've been to that one moment many  times," he whispered.  "And it's never been like this."

He wasn't about to answer to question his trust.  Didn't want to  think about it.  "Show me.  Show me how much I can trust you," he  moaned, barely above a whisper through sealed lips. 

Anya nuzzled the back of his shoulder,  and then bit it lightly.  Her teeth didn't break the skin, but delivered more of  a pinch.  "You brought your handcuffs?"  He seemed to be such a straight arrow cop, she was sure he was never without them.  Nor his gun or badge, but she wasn't interested in those.

Her voice was a low, sultry purr.  "Go get them."

Turning to step out of the shower Horatio brushed his lips against  her ear, taking a moment to admire her curves with his hands before  obeying her.

Holding the cuffs out to her, hidden within his loose fist, Horatio  silently awaited her game as he returned to her side.

She had turned off the water, but the air was still thick with steam.  Anya took the handcuff as he kissed his cheek lightly.  "Thank you, Horatio.  Now relax and enjoy."  Taking his hands, she placed them above his head, clipping one of the bracelets around his wrist.   The chain went over the neck of the shower spigot, and the other cuff firmly attached to his other wrist.  Now he was immobilized with his hands above his head.

Chest and abdomen stretched before her, feet planted firmly on the  ground with but a few inches to bend his legs Horatio tested the  bonds knowing there wouldn't be any give.  The wall, though still  slightly warm from the steam, chilled his back and shoulders.

The last time he had used cuffs for something other than an arrest  had been too long ago.  Watching her through half-lidded eyes he  awaited his sentence with bated breath. 

Anya grinned a feral smile.  She allowed herself to shapeshift, not to the full on Crinos catwoman form, but the decidedly more than human but less than werecat Socto form.  Her claws slightly extended, points appeared on her ears, and her black tattoo disappeared into her darker skin tone.    Her grin grew wider, revealing feline fangs.  Her claws lightly scratched up and down his chest, circling his nipples and his navel.  She kept her touch light, just barely raising welts.

As she shifted Horatio watched, already longing to touch her again as  his wrists moved against their bonds.  As she touched him he held  still, breath shuddering slightly as he closed his eyes and tilted  his head.

He wondered what designs she would mark him with this time, the wound  on his shoulder still sharp.

Anya let out a rumbling purr, snapping her teeth near his earlobe, threatening the tender flesh.  "Keep your eyes open, Horatio.  If I wanted you not to watch, I would have blindfolded you," she said with a  smirk. 

Her fingers didn't stop roaming his torso, dipping lower and lower on his body.  "Tell me, Horatio," she purred.  "How far are you willing to trust me?"

Horatio closed his slack jaw and swallowed.  His abdomen quivered as  her claws left a lingering trail, lower, lower... and tensed.  A  pause before answering in the only way he knew:  "I'll tell you  when... if you cross the line," his hooded eyes regarded her for a  steamy moment.  "But you won't, will you?"  A lusting half smile. 

Her grin took on a feral sensuality.  "But isn't that half the fun?" she said, the tips of her claws just barely caressing his balls.  "Blowing past that line?  Pushing it back?  Redefining it?"  Anya blew softly in his ear as her claws then drifted higher to trace along his length.

A gasping moan played across Horatio's lips, and he had to admit he  found more pleasure in that touch than pain.  Or maybe he was  starting to confuse the two.  "I have a feeling you redefine many  lines," Horatio spoke with one breath, a long sensual sigh.  Turning  his head he felt her fur brush along his cheek, he lightly rubbed his  cheek against hers before seeking her fanged kiss.

Anya nipped at his lips, careful not to do anything more than scratch his skin.  Her claws lightly continued to stroke him, the tips just barely raising welts.  Her tongue slipped past her razor sharp teeth to caress his blunt square ones. 

Her other hand slipped around his hip to knead his ass.  She kept the pressure on both of her hands light, not wanting to do permanent damage.

Horatio's tongue sought out and met Anya's with a whimpering moan.   He never whimpered, but she was making him do things he had never  considered doing before.  Placing himself in an entire situation he'd  frown at if it were another in his team.

He pressed a little, feeling the sharp canines against his lips as  his tongue tangoed with hers.  He tensed, prevented himself from  jumping as her other claws grazed along his ass.  Jumping would have  meant serious damage to his member she was still graciously teasing.

Anya laughed into the kiss.  She pulled back long enough to gaze up and down his body.  "No identifying scars I see," she purred.  Her claws bit in just a little deeper, but not too deep to draw blood.  "Would you like some?"

She rubbed her cheek against him.  "You'd like that, wouldn't you?  For me to put my mark on you?  Let anyone else who sees you like this know that you belong to me?"

Truth was, Horatio was liking everything she was putting him  through.  He moaned as she spoke of physically marking him, squirming  against her dangerous claws, driving them further against his  flesh.  "Yes," he breathed, unable to control the way his voice  moaned.  "Mark me, Anya." 

She wished she had bothered to learn the 'Mark as Mine' rite.  That would keep other Bastet, as well as anyone with the slightest sensitivity to the occult, away from him.  Instead she's have to content herself with a physical reminder.  "And where would you like this mark?  Here?"  Claws trailed down his chest.  "Here?"  They tickled his side unmercifully.  "Or perhaps here?"  They lightly dug into one round cheek of his ass.

He wanted to grab her hand, guide it the place he wanted the mark.   At least he got to choose... unless she was toying with him.  Lightly  testing his bonds, he wondered why he kept doing that, Horatio leaned  as much as he could against them.  Close to her, nipping at her fuzzy  ear he told of where he wanted to be branded.  "Right thigh.  Right  inner thigh."  He wanted the mark to be... a surprise.  A smirk  played across his face.

"You sure?" she asked with an innocent looking smile.  "I can't do it here.  It's a rather involved mark.  Might take me a while to do."  Her claws continued to stroke him, a hint of what was to come.  She purred into his ear.  "Are you certain you are up to this?"

Nipping at her ear he squirmed against his bonds.  "You can cuff me  to the bed then," he was biting at the bit, anxious for her claws to  be on his body again.  Anxious for the soft bed against his back  instead of the cold and wet shower wall.

Anya smiled.  "Your trusting nature is going to get you in over your head one of these days."  Reaching  around behind him, she turned off the water.  Still stretched against him and on her tiptoes, she undid his handcuffs.  She rubbed her nose against his affectionately before kissing him lightly.

Then she took a step back.  "Go dry off and lay down on the bed on your back.  I'll join you in a moment."  There were a few things she needed to gather to do this.  And a few more things she needed in order to set the mood.

His trusting nature... he smirked, kept his lips tight as he grabbed  a towel.  She was right though, when it came to her he was completely  a fool.  He wondered at what Eric or Speed would think of this... a  woman he had just met, picked up, and was getting marked like  territory by.  Many of his victims had marks.

Quickly rubbing the towel down the length of his body he hissed as  the towel brushed his erection.  He left the towel on the floor as he  lay onto the bed, staring at the cieling, hands twitching on the bed  sheets.

Anya had toweled off quickly as well, and kept an eye as she gathered up the things she needed.  A thin bladed knife to supplement her claws, some peroxide to sterilize the area, gauze and bandages to control the bleeding, and a few silken scarves to tie his legs apart.

She smiled when she saw that he was already on the bed.  "Hands above your head, Horatio, and legs apart," she instructed, holding up the handcuffs.

Horatio complied, lightly gripping the head bar of the bed as he  spread his legs to the far corners of the bed.  He took in the  supplies she carried with a nervous half-smile.

Anya picked up the handcuffs, smiling with a twinkle in her eyes.  Leaning over him so her breasts just tickled his skin, she cuffed his hands to the headboard.  After brushing her lips against his forehead, she moved down to the foot of the bed.  She lifted each ankle and kissed it before tying it to each bedpost. 

She settled on one hip between his legs, hers resting along side his right one as she laid out her supplies.  "Last chance to back out, Horatio," she offered.

"And why would I want to do that?" He asked, settling his head into  the pillow, unable to clearly see what she was doing.  He could feel  the tension in his back, and the way his legs were trussed knew he  couldn't relax his thigh muscle anyway.  "Just go slow," he added as  an after thought, not wanting to be shocked and end up bucking into  the blade.

She could see the tension in his whole body.  His muscles were drawn  tight as a bow string about to let an arrow fly.  Gently, Anya put one  hand on his well defined stomach, caressing his abs lightly.  "Relax if  you can," she purred as she picked up the disposable razor.

The design she had in mind was slightly complicated, swirls and angles  melding to form a glyph of the Bastets' private language.  It roughly  translated to "Mine!  Stay away!"  And she couldn't think of anything  more fitting as she shaved a four inch area on the inside of his right  thigh.  Then she wiped the area down with an alcohol swab and reached  for the thin bladed knife.

A shuddering sigh as she shaved the area and then applied a cold  alcohol, his leg jerked at the initial sensation.  Shifting his leg  slightly he tried to do what she said.  Breathing deeply he closed  his eyes.

At first it tickled, then he could feel the blade drawing a slow,  thin line.  He breathed deeper, mouth open as he fingered the steel  of his wrist restraints.  He concentrated on what he could hear and  feel other than what she was doing. 

He often had to force himself to distance from certain cases.  He  brought one such memory up now, trying to distance himself away from  the stinging.

"You're doing verrrry well," Anya purred.  she was a quarter way though the design, working on the central whorl, pausing every few moments to wipe away the blood.   Then she would resume her carving.  It was amazing how well he was holding up to the discomfort.

Her eye glanced up and saw the expression on his face, one of a man trying to be anywhere but where he was.  "Do you need me to stop for a bit?" she inquired, raised eyebrow  distorting her tattoo slightly.

Swallowing past the memory Horatio put on a masked smirk for  her.  "Just thinking," he said.  "Don't stop."  He was always  bothered by how strongly he'd react to these memories.  How they  could grip him even during... this.  The stinging pain had left him  for a bit, the memories nearly dream like.

He tried to return to that state, pushing the thoughts and feelings  of what she was doing away again.  At the same time wondering if it  was wise, would she pick up on his state of mind?

He half dreamt, changing aspects here and there until the outcome  was... different.  His hands twisted, just barely, in their  restraints.  He was somewhere else.  Pleasant for the once victim,  and not so pleasant for him this time.

She continued the carving, surprised that he wasn't protesting more.  Most weren't into this sort of scarification.  Especially when a person he barely knew was wielding a sharp knife scant inches from his genitals.

Anya glanced upwards, noting the expression on his face.  "Horatio?" she asked.  "Talk to me.  How are you doing?"

Horatio blinked at her voice, not registering it's meaning, it was  out of place here.  Guilt and memory were his strongest foes, though  he held them close like a lover wherever he went.

"I'm sorry," barely whispered over her grave, unshed tears blurring  his vision as he stood there, staring at the marker. 

Anya's gaze sharpened.  Placing a cloth on his thigh and holding it to control the bleeding, she leaned over him, trying to get as near his face as she could.  "Horatio, look at me.  Tell me where you are."  Wherever he was, he was most definitely not here with her.  And if he wasn't, what was the point of doing this?  "Return to me, Horatio,"  she purred.  "Return to your Anya.  You have no need of being sorry," she coaxed.

Horatio's hands twisted and pulled against their restraints, her  voice cutting into his grief again.  A slightly confused look crossed  his face as he pulled on the cuffs harder.  "Anya," the name was...  blinking his eyes open a trapped tear ran down his face as he stared  at a cat hovering over him.  Stiffening at the cat, the sudden pain  way too near his groin, and the fact he couldn't move away.  The  cat... "Anya," he gasped, twisting against his restraints.  "Anya."   Not identifying the cat with the girl he had picked up at the club.

"Easy," Anya soothed, not realizing what was frightening him.  She reached a hand to stroke his face to calm him, and paused when she saw the velvety stubble covering them.  She had forgotten that she was in her catwoman shape, and that was not helping the situation.

It took a moment's concentration for the black furred skin to turn hairless and honey brown.  "Horatio," she said softly, touching his cheek lightly.  "I'm sorry I frightened you.  Are you okay?"

"I-" Horatio shivered, leaning his face into her touch.  "Forgot...  where I was," he swallowed, eyes closing and lips drawing a thin  line.  His emotions had always been so easy to access, and yet do  difficult to reveal to others.

"Sorry," he whispered after a moment, offering a small smile as he  looked up at her.  "They say a woman can make a man do strange  things."

Anya gently continued to stroke his head.  "It's okay."  The human mind was such a fragile thing, she mused.    So easily stressed and broken.  She leaned closer to press her lips to his.

"So tell me, Horatio, which is the strange thing?" she asked playfully, trying to lighten his mood.  "You forgetting where you were?  Letting me do this," she tapped his thigh lightly, "to you?  Or all of the above?"

"You didn't make me get your marking... I was marked once I saw you  on that stage."  Horatio chuckled, something that sounded odd to his  ears.  "Why did you accept my offer?"  He smirked.  "And how many  other's have you marked?" 

Anya graced him with a mysterious smile.  "I guess I could say that I was in the mood for for something a little different."  Her fingers teased his hair lightly.  "And none," she admitted.  This was the first time she had the impulse to make a one night stand into something more.

Her eyes flicked back down to his thigh and the partially finished design.  "Are you ready for me to continue?"  If he said no, she would wait until he was.

Horatio nodded.  He didn't want to postpone the rest of it any longer  than his waking dream already had.  He stared up at his bound hands  as she continued, this time not seeking refuge from the pain but  feeling each line as it was drawn.

She kissed his lips lightly.  "Tell me if it's too much," Anya said, brushing her lips against his cheek.  Picking up the knife, she moved back down between his legs and resumed the light carving.

She worked steadily for several more minutes, completing the slashes and swirls and flourishes.  "There, done." Anya grinned at him from her position low on the bed.  "I think you deserve a reward for doing so well," she said, running her nose along the underside of his cock.

Horatio released the breath he had been holding in a slight jump at  the sudden change of sesnsation near his groin.  It had been too long  since he had last mixed pleasure with pain.  Her words and touch drew  a breathy sigh from him as he arched into his bonds.  "I've been  waiting for you to say that," he teased.

"Really?" she said.  Slowly she licked up the length of his cock, just barely using the tip of her tongue.  She flicked lightly against the spongy head, a light lashing. "You're not the least bit curious what it looks like?  Want me to get you a mirror so you can see my handiwork?"

Slowly it occured to him she was to keep him tied up, his mind  focusing on the feel of her teasing and just able to grasp the word  mirror.  Licking his lips he gazed down at her.  "Show me," he  breathed as his cock throbbed for more attention.

Smiling she reached over to grab a circular makeup mirror and placed it between his legs.  "It's a Bastet glyph," she explained as she adjusted the surface so he could see the curves and angles of it.  "It means 'Mine!  Stay away!'"  Anya leaned over to kiss his mouth, taking a light grip on her cock.  "So anyone who sees that now will know that at this moment, you belong to me."  Her hand slowly stroked up and down his length, teasing him with a light touch.

With a long sigh Horatio stretched as much as he could within his  bonds.  "To you," he repeated.  "I'm yours." 

Claiming her mouth he delved into it with fire, a slight desperation  at her teasing.  When the kiss broke he gently held her lower lip  between his for an instance.  "All yours," he moaned.

She settled against his side, eyes lidded as she gave him a mysterious smile.  "All mine," Anya confirmed, her hand sliding across the planes of his chest.  Her lips brushed against his lightly again, tongue just tickling across the insides of them. 

Her hand continued its downward motion, tracing the outlines of each of his abdominal muscles and swirling around his belly button.  "All mine," she whispered again, taking his mouth in a  fierce kiss as her hand closed around his cock and squeezed lightly.

Horatio plunged into the kiss, tongue desperately dancing with  hers.  His body writhed beneath her as she grasped his cock, his  hips equally desperate to be with hers.  In his bonds he struggled  to move against her warm and firm hand, muscles twitching and  straining to move nearer to her.  Muffled by the kiss he made a  whimpering moan when he couldn't budge as much as he needed to.

She could feel the tension and desperation in his body, and relished the feeling of power it gave her.  Anya also wanted to see that power unleashed.  Still kissing him, she reached up and undid the bonds pinning his hands above his head.

Like a swimmer breaking back into open air to replenish his lungs  Horatio felt a part of him gasping at the freedom.  Sliding his  hands down her shoulders he grasped her close to his body, turning  his head to keep the kiss deep.

While one hand remained between her shoulder blades the other  pressed into her flesh as it traveled down her back and to her  thigh, gripping her ass.

The way he held her meant that Anya couldn't untie his legs.  But that wasn't a problem at this point.  She shifted her legs so now she was straddling his thighs, still intent on teasing  him.

"Tell me what you want, Horatio," she whispered between kisses.  "And I'll give it to you."

"I want you," Horatio moaned in desperation, his kiss finding the  crook of her neck.  Biting and kissing her neck he moved his other  hand down her back, gripping both cheeks of her ass and teasing her  puckered hole as he urged her hips down onto his cock.  "I need  you," he rasped. 

"You have me," she said.  Anya smirked as she resisted his guiding movements, and then suddenly gave in, sinking on him.  Her mouth continued to work at his, nipping and sucking and biting as she took him in deeply.

Eventually, even a bit reluctantly she pulled away and sat straight up.  Looking into his eyes, she started to raise and lower herself on him in a slow motion. 

With parted lips Horatio stared up into her eyes.  Soft, gasping moans as she moved on top of him.  Hands still resting on her hips his nimble fingers and palms felt each muscle work as he shifted on his cock.

Arching his back and neck into the sheets he broke eye contact as he moaned, the pain of the recent marking and pleasure of her warm walls enveloping him with pure ecstacy.

Anya let out a soft yowl as she squeezed him with her internal muscles.  Pleasure radiated through her body.  Her claws scratched down his chest, caressing and teasing him, adding to the sensation of pain and pleasure.  The scent of blood and sex hung heavy in the air.

Arching into her claws Horatio found her gaze again.  His eyes heavily lidded.  Straining against the bonds on his ankles, digging his heels into the bed up against the poles he began thrusting up each time she came down on him.  Catching one of her clawed hands he held it up to her face, sucking on the tips of each finger and feeling the claws with his tongue.

Anya let out a soft purr as she ground herself against Horatio.  She let out a sound similar to a cat in heat as she continued to ride him, the one hand still on his chest kneading the muscle, claws digging into skin.  The other hand held perfectly still, enjoying the feel of his tender tongue wrapping around her claws. She was quivering, ready to fall into ecstasy, but only if he fell with her.

The trembling of her walls as they tightened and clamped down around his cock caused him to buck against his bonds.  Reluctantly he released her hand, gripping the bed sheets either side of him for purchase as he thrust up to meet her.

Her claws, the pain from the mark and his bonds, and the feral voice she was giving was enough to drive him over.  He continued thrusting up as he erupted with a loud moan.

Panting, Anya let out a second brief cry that blended with his.  She quivered feeling him cum inside her.  Eyes closed and head thrown back, she let the pleasure sweep through her body.

Panting, she let her claws retract into her fingertips.  Still trying to catch her breath, she leaned forward and rested against his chest.  She rubbed her cheek against the slightly sweaty skin, letting out a soft purr.

Gasping for each breath Horatio stroked and petted her neck and back, fingertips digging in past the fur in a scratching motion.  His body shook from time to time as it cooled, small tremors running through his relaxing muscles.

Eventually he felt like he wasn't fighting for each breath and released a long sigh.  But there was no words available for him.

She felt the occasional shiver run through him and she let out a soft sigh.  Anya sat up slightly and reached down to untie the scarves at his ankles.  She grabbed the comforter from the base of the bed and pulled it up over her body.

She gave a soft sigh as she shifted back to her human form.  "It will be dawn soon," she said, tracing a finger lazily over his cheek.

Horatio could feel the tight muscles in his calves slowly release as they could now move, the slight burn from where his ankles had rubbed along the wood of the posts.  Turning his head he caught her finger with a gentle kiss.  The time of day surprised him though he was too content to do much more than raise a brow.

"Would you like to watch the sun rise?"  He smirked at the thought: "I've never watched it rise while off duty."

She had been living among the Kindred for so long that she had forgotten when she had last seen a sunrise.  "I would love to," Anya said.  She reached stood up and slipped into a blood red silk robe.  Smiling, she extended her hand to him to help him out of the bed.  "Would you like me to give you a robe to wear?  I'm not certain you want to put fabric against your thigh while it's still healing."

"You'd prefer I display myself to your neighbors, wouldn't you?"  Horatio teased with a wink.  He knew she was right though, the marking hurt and throbbed.  Anything less than a tight gauze wrapping would making walking a chore. 

"I'll leave it open for them," and he did, one hand holding the fabric away from his thigh after he donned the robe. 

Anya smiled at him.  He may be street wise in the human world, but in hers, he still had a lot to learn.  "Most of my neighbors will be tucked away tight against the sunlight.  It will be just you and me, Horatio." 

She took his hand and led him out of her apartment and up the stairways to the roof.  They passed no one, the owner of the club being Kindred and as she had said, in his light proof room to spend the day.  "Here we are," she said opening the door to roof.  "We'll have the best view from here."

Horatio blinked as she told him about the sun and her neighbors.  2 days ago had any one told him he'd be ... mated? to a were cougar with other such "legends and myths" for neighbors he would have given them his best sardonic smile and sarcastic advice.

Now... he didn't find it all so odd.  Maybe he was in shock. 

"How many are there?"  He assumed the entire building was Kindred.  An entire race in the middle of this city, unknown and unbothered by most normal civilians? 

"Not too many," Anya said.  She may have trusted him more than any other human, hell, was almost completely in love with him, but there were some things that had to remain secret still.  Not until he fully understood the dangers and intrigues that surrounded them.

"This isn't a safe or easy life," she said, thinking of friends and companions who were no more.  "Just because we are different, doesn't mean that we're invulnerable.  For all our abilities and gifts and long life, if humanity as a whole realized that we are real and among them, they could crush us just by sheer numbers.  Not to mention that the infighting could destroy us just as easily." 

Staring out at the horizon Horatio considered what she said.  Hands on his hips he appeared lost with himself as he stared at nothing.  Far from it, the people who dealt with his quirks every day knew he never quit.

Lowering his eyes back to the here and now as the sun peaked over the landscape he regarded Anya with concern.  "There are people who would love to get to me just by getting to you, Anya."  He wasn't one to give in to paranoia unless it involved those he cared for.  He looked over other's shoulders, not his own. 

He left the rest unsaid.  She would know the risks and his desire to leave... and yet he could not.  He was not the kind to run from his problems.

Anya let out a low chuckle as she leaned against him, arm slipping around his waist.  "Wouldn't it be lovely if we could get our enemies to take each other out?  It would make life so much simpler."  She leaned her head on his shoulder. 

She watched the sky turn pink and then red and then golden.  Living among the Kindred, it had been quite a while since Anya had seen this sight.  Or how nice it felt to snuggle up to a warm body.  "I've forgotten how beautiful the sunrise can be."

Horatio rubbed her shoulder as he held her close.  He doubted life would easier if some people were taken out of it, he didn't think of any as enemies and often went out of his way to help those who disliked him.  If they heeded his advice and concern or not ... pushing those thoughts aside Horatio took in the sunset's warmth and beauty.  Life was short.

Typical when he struggled to find the right words Horatio spoke slow as he replied to her.  "I've forgotten just how beautiful the sunrise can be with another... when I see the sun rise or set it's usually standing over my next case."

Turning to her with a smile he framed her face with his hands.  "Thank you for sharing it this morning."

Anya gave him a bittersweet smile.  "I'm glad to be able to."   Her arms slipped around his waist to squeeze it lightly.  Her eyes kept flitting back and forth between the light of the rising sun and the light shining in his eyes.

"So what do we do now, Horatio?"  It would be tricky to fit him into her life.  The fact that she was even considering it showed how profoundly he had affected her.  Most of her one night stands were kicked out of her bed almost immediately after the sex was finished.  But now here she was lingering over sunrise with him and debating on what they should get for breakfast.

Horatio had already mentally gone over the consequences of his relationship with her and his job.  He wasn't ready to start planning for them, the consequences were simply what-ifs.  Turning his blue gaze towards hers he smiled.  "Let's take it one day at a time.  We'll figure it out on the way."

Stroking her long black locks Horatio stared into her eyes.  Who would have known in a bar while on a watch he would find a little bright spot in his life.  Something to make him forget the heartache. 

"One day at a time is a very good way to take it," Anya said.  She was practically purring under his soft touch, pressing her head back against the pressure on her skull.  "What I was thinking was more immediate.  Breakfast, and then what?  You have to go to work, and I have to get some sleep to be ready for tonight's performance."

And that would be the beginning.  Especially if they had to integrate a day an night existence.  Not to mention what had brought him in.  He'd probably be investigating many of her associates or friends for if he knew only a fraction of what their activities were.

Horatio nodded.  They would be expecting him in soon.  He hadn't brought his cell to the bar and he could already hear it going non-stop in his hummer at home.

"Do you have eggs?"  Horatio took her hand and lead her back to the stairs.  "Let's eat in," he wanted to maximize their time, not spend it in lines and restaurants where people never really relaxed.

"Eggs it is then.  And I've got some steaks too."  Although technically omnivorous like most humans, Anya had a strong preference for meat.  She opened the stairwell door and guided Horatio back down to her apartment.

"How's the thigh doing?" she asked as she opened the door. She led him into the kitchen and opened the small refrigerator.  "Is there any particular way you want your eggs?  I think I've got enough stuff here to make an omelette."

"Omelettes sound great." Horatio leaned against a counter, attempting to cross his ankles and then abondoning the movement as it rubbed against his thigh.

"They're going to be wondering why I'm limping at work," Horatio came up behind her.  "I'll tell them I was mauled, if they ask."  He inhaled her scent before leaning on the counter near her.

"Tell them you got attacked by a big cat.  It's not that  far from the truth," Anya said as she rummaged through the refrigerator, pulling out some eggs, cheese, various meats, tomatoes, and a package of sliced mushrooms.

She placed them on the counter.  "Which would you like to do to make yourself useful?" she asked.  "Start the eggs or slice up the sausage?"

Horatio hid a blush at her words with a duck of his head.  How unlike him to be thinking along those lines!  Picking up an egg he started the skillet on a burner and perked a brow her way.  If any one sliced any sausage it would be... 

Breaking 4 eggs into the skillet he threw the messy shells away and whiped his hands on a towel. 

Anya watched his graceful motions.  It was amazing how at home he seemed, considering that he hadn't even been her for twelve hours.  And that was both comforting and disturbing in different ways.  Comforting because he would fit easily into her life.  Disturbing because she knew she'd try to make him.

So she decided to distract herself by watching her lover cook.  "Are you blushing?" she asked, noticing the faint red on his cheek.  Her tone of voice was slightly amused and slightly amazed.  "I didn't know that men still blushed."

Turning away from the cooking eggs Horatio wrapped his arms loosely around her hips.  "Yes, I am."  He smiled with a tilt of his head.  "Anya.  There was one thing that made me happy before you: my job.  And you know it's not a pleasant job."  He had smiled when he got his bad guy, and it wasn't always a smile of joy.  Before Anya his life had been missing something.  Or seemed to have. 

Anya smiled back.  This one was definitely different than most of her one night stands.  It was rare the a lover would want to.  But then, Horatio did not seem to be like most men.  He seemed to have a sense of honor.  Which would be problematic for both of them in the long run.

"Mind the eggs," she said suddenly as the scent of something burning hit her sensitive nose.  It gave her a distraction from her gloom and doom thoughts.

Turning away reluctantly, though also glad for the break from his uncharacteristic smiling, Horatio quickly flipped the eggs and then scooped the two flat pieces out.

Turning to her he took her elbo and led her to the table.  "Sit," he returned to the counter and put the meat in to sizzle, placing the eggs in another pan on low temp to keep them warmed.

"Want cheese?" He perked a brow as he opened the fridge. 

"Please," Anya said.  She started pulling dishes out from a cabinet above the stove.  As she put the plates down on the table, she was struck about how domestic this was, how homey.  Something she could easily get used to.

And something that would have a hard time fitting into her life. 

Long term relationships among Bubasti, especially ones that were working for the Kindred, were tricky things.  She had enemies she'd have to shield him from.  Ones that wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of her feelings for him.

Horatio watched Anya from the corner of his eye.  She was hiding  something from him,  near 15 years as a CSI taught him when people were lieing, hiding, or otherwise being unfaithful to something. 

Taking a plate as she got them down from the cabinet he folded and stuffed an omelette for her.  Handing the plate to her he searched her face before asking: "Do you want to tell me what's troubling you?"

"It's going to sound, well, there's no good way to say it.  Fucked up."  Anya put the plate down on the table and continued talking.  "I'm actually...happy, and that's a sign for impending to doom to fail."

"It's not going to be easy to keep you protected, Horatio.  You came into a vampire club seeking to dispense human justice.  And that will get you into trouble with the Kindred.  At best you'll be an amusement.  At worst, they'll consider you a threat."  Her eyes were deadly serious.  "I don't know that I can keep you safe."

Horatio took this in and paused a moment to reflect.  "Don't you worry about me.  All right?"  He turned his dark grayish blues to hers.  "I've lived my whole life being a threat to people... yes, this is a different story but I can't start looking over my shoulder at every step now."

He stepped closer to her, touched her face with the back of his hand, a butterfly caress.  "Life wouldn't be much fun if I had to watch myself and neglected looking out for others."  He searched her face again, he knew she'd worry and the threat of an ambush would always be on the back of his mind... but his way of life couldn't let impending attacks seperate him from his job, his life, his loved ones.

Anya looked at him, her head tilted to one side as if she was studying something she didn't know exactly what it was.  "Why do I have the feeling that you don't know what you're getting yourself into?"

Her arms slipped around his waist   Anya looked up into his eyes and kissed his jaw.  "If you're willing to give it a try, I'm more than willing."  There were risks, and if it wasn't going to stop him, then she would do her best not to worry.

"We'll make it work," Horatio wished he believed it 100 percent.  Something in the way she spoke told him he really didn't know what he was getting into.  How could he possibly know all of the dangers?  This was a new world to him.

Leaning in he took her mouth in a deep and slow kiss.  "We have to," he breathed as the kiss broke.  "You've changed me."

Anya looked up at him blinking. She had always prided herself for her detachment from the human race. They were the herd that the Kindred fed from, and the breeding stock that produced the next generation of Bastet. They were an entertaining diversion at best, and a troublesome annoyance at worst.

Until she met Horatio. No other person had managed to get to her, and it was hard to maintain her distance. She gently stroked his cheek with the tips of her fingers. "I hope we can, Horatio."

Horatio nodded with a gentle smile and took up their plates.  "Let's eat, and try not to think too far into the future."  He sat their plates down on the table.

He glanced at the clock and grimaced.  It wasn't like him to be late and the team would be paging him non stop.

"Problem, Horatio?" Anya asked, noticing his face as he glanced at the clock.  "Is there something wrong?"  Normally she would be sound asleep now.  "You're supposed to be at work now, right?" she asked as she picked up a forkful of omelette.

Horatio nodded as he began to eat, still standing.  After a few bites he regrettfully set his plate aside and went to her side.  "I'll try to catch you tonight, what time will you be off?"

"2 AM, when the club closes." Anya stood up and rubbed his cheek against his, cat instinct to mark her territory coming to the fore. "You want to stop by again, or would you rather have me meet you somewhere?" She was hoping that he wanted to meet somewhere else, away from the prying eyes of the vampires that inhabited the club.

Horatio took her hands in his.  "Meet me at the Museum."  Though obviously closed, he wouldn't ask if he hadn't something in mind.

With a kiss, quicker than he had wished but longer than he had time for he headed for the door. 

"I'll see you then," she called after him. She watched him let himself out the door and then looked back at the omelet. Suddenly she wasn't hungry any longer.

When was traffic not heavy?  Thankfully his first stop wasn't at HQ, he headed straight for the crime scene.  There was only one man he worked with now and then rude enough to ask why he was late, and thankfully that man was absent from this case.

Taking in the report he asked questions and gave orders.  So the day began.

This was the world he knew in and out.  The world that enlightened him and disgusted him all at once.  Yet it wasn't the world he had ever found another to share it with. 

Anya wasn't of this world of Horatio's, and he hoped she never would be.  As he hoped he never delved too deeply into hers.  There was a line that divided their worlds and they were the threaded string.

She had cleaned up the kitchen and returned to the bedroom, which seemed strangely empty now that he was gone. Anya had managed to fall into a fitful doze until sunset, when she rose. Her appetite was lackluster, but she forced down a full meal.

Her performance that night was lackluster as well, her mind on meeting her lover afterwards. When it was over, she ducked out of the club, and headed to the Museum, wondering if he would be there to meet her.

Horatio had managed a fitful sleep from 9pm until just after 1am.  Lucky the grave shifters were at their best his team got some much needed ... well, they got to leave work on time at least.

Remembering a change of clothes and his phone this time he headed out in the dark Hummer and some comfortable clothes.  He parked at the Museum.  Closed, but Horatio had a friend and the key in his hand as he spotted Anya.

Quietly he took her hand, standing back to take her in before pulling her close.  He could smell the club on her as he nuzzled her neck.  "How was your day, Anya?"

"Long," she said, rubbing her cheek against his. "For once, I couldn't wait for my set to be over. Afraid it showed in my act." Anya didn't want to admit it, but she had been looking forward to and thinking too much about this moment all day.

She kissed his lips lightly. "So how was your day?" she asked. And although she was curious, she didn't voice the other question on her mind. Why he had chosen this spot for their tryst.

Horatio chuckled lightly.  "I don't come close to soiling my reputation often... but I couldn't stop thinking of you," he was just thankful it hadn't been a serious moment during the case when he had let her name slip. 

"Let's go inside, shall we?" He took her by one hand after checking his watch and then unlocked one of the front doors.  Though security measures were in place, the security guard tonight was his contact and the alarm systems had been temporarily shut down. 

It was away from work and away from crowds, away from any prying eyes... safe and secluded.  He locked the door behind them and pocketed the keys.  Though dark there was one room ajar and spilling light down the stairs. 

Horatio nodded at the room.  "Our own private gallaxy."  Cliche, perhaps, and a bit television sitcom, but it was theirs for the night alone.

Anya took his arms in hers. "You sure they won't get us for breaking and entering? Well, entering at least since we haven't broken anything yet." She stayed snuggled close to his side.

"So is there something specific you wanted to show me, Horatio?" she asked, squeezing his arm. "I hear this place has a great Egyptian exhibit." It was something she had meant to see, but never had gotten around to doing. It would stir up memories of home, and obligations she was still under.

Horatio shook his head no with a soft smile.  "Just calling in a favor, they know we're here.  Where else can we be alone in Miami... and who would look for us here?"

"We can look at anything you want to," Horatio took her arm and headed in the direction of said exhibit.  He hadn't the time to come here often and when he did it wasn't for pleasure.

Anya let him lead her to the Egyptian exhibit. The large hall had hieroglyphs painted on the walls, as well as statuary and treasures from various tombs encased in plexiglass pedestals.

She stopped in front of two statues, one of Anubis, jackal headed god of the dead, and Bast, the feline goddess protector of pregnant woman and children, and sexual pleasure. She stopped next to the stature and turned to face Horatio. "See any resemblance?" she asked with an impish grin.

Horatio's eyes dropped to read the brief summary upon a plaque about the statue.  He smirked at the last two words.  "Well, yes," his eyes returned to the statue.  "In more than appearances," he gestured at the plaque with a sly tilt of his head. 

Despite himself he glanced at Anubis with a mixture of emotions before regaining his smile and looking back to Anya.  "I thought they were lore, legends..." He threaded his arms about her abdomen.  "No idea I'd fall for the..." he furrowed his brow with another grin.  "Offspring?"

Anya shook her head. "Parents," she corrected with a gentle smile, then turned her attention to the statue of Bast. "The Changing Breeds predate humans. There was a time that we were worshiped and feared, for we culled the human herds."

Her eyes shifted to Anubis. "And there was strife among our kinds. In the end the werewolves prevailed, but the cullings ceased. The Changing Breeds became nothing more than a distant memory for the most part. Although we were never completely forgotten."

Horatio's eyes widened a bit as he learned of her age and history.  "Anya... you've seen a lot in your life."  He regarded both statues as he thought how to word his confusing emotions. 

"Why me?  And..." he lowered his head, brow furrowing before looking at her.  "For how long?" 

"Why you?" she echoed. "That is what I'm trying to figure out.   Because I'm trying to figure out why me." She smiled up at Horatio, dark eyes full of mystery. "You have to admit that we're not that well matched. From two different worlds." 

"And as for how long?" Anya's lips twitched in a smile. "How long are
you willing to put up with me?"
 

"For a very long time," Horatio pulled her against him.  He gazed at her, seemingly lost in her smile before he remembered his next words.  "I don't plan on letting you go.  You've shown me things I had no idea existed within myself... or within another."
 

He had found what he wasn't sure was meant for him.  And in the mostly unlikely place.  He smiled: "Maybe being mismatched can work to our advantage.  Who will suspect?"

Anya nodded, although in the back of her mind, she knew of a whole list of people who would suspect. And that was just among the Kindred. Who knows what his people would think.

"So does this mean you want me to meet the folks?" she asked in a deceptively light tone of voice. "I'm not the kind they usually bring home to meet their mother."

"If your mother was anything like mine there won't be a single person who won't know about us afterward, assuming I get to meet her."  Horatio offered a slight smile.

A beeping from the phone that hung onto his hip produced a guilty grimace as his hand headed for it.  "I have to take it," he pulled away.  He had been lucky he hadn't been called last night, it would appear his luck was running out now.

Anya nodded understandingly and took a step back as well, giving him the privacy he needed. He had brought up an interesting point. Although she could meet his family, it would be tricky for him to meet hers. Unless he was willing to take some time off and travel to Egypt.

She looked up at the statues of Bast and Anubis, lost in her thoughts while Horatio spoke on the phone. It wouldn't do any good to brood over the past. The best thing to do was to enjoy the present. Even if it was just being near him while he talked on his cell phone.
 

After a short conversation Horatio pocketed the cell and regarded the wall for a moment before turning to face Anya again.  "I'm needed," he said, tilting his head at her and then turning his gaze to the floor for a moment.  "I have to go, I don't know how long this will take."  It never was solved fast enough in any one's eyes, especially the victim's families.

"I understand," Anya said. She'd have to do the exact same thing if one of the Kindred were in need of assistance. Although she was a singer, she also had other talents that were in demand.

Pulling a piece of paper out of her pocket, she scribbled a number on it. When you have a free night, give me a call." She tucked it into the pockets of his slacks, fingers staying briefly to tease him. "Be safe, Horatio," she whispered, stretching up on her tiptoes to kiss him.

He never really had a free night.  Being on-call though often served longer vacations if he chose to take one.  Right now he was wishing he could.  Embracing her he kissed her long and deep, though it ended too soon for his want.

"I'll be in touch," he pulled away and without looking back walked out of the museum. 

Sometime later:

Horatio frowned at the number of security officers around the crime, none of which he could recognize... or name.  They didn't wear badges. 

"They got to him before we did," Eric nearly pouted.

"They?  None of them have badges, Eric.  We were called in, so why are we not allowed to process this scene?"

Eric only shook his head.

Alex, at least, had been allowed to do her job.  As Horatio approached the body, noting some uncomfortable looks from the no-badges, he squinted at the body.

"Haven't seen one of these around, Horatio.  Heard of them but this is a first for us."  She turned the man's neck to reveal two puncture marks.  "Been drained of blood."

Horatio frowned as Alex continued to explain similar cases, all reported as from cult groups who wore metal, sometimes plastic, fangs in order to do such things. 

It was going to be a long night.

Back at the club:

"We need to talk."

Anya looked up at Victor, the owner of the club. The vampire's voice had a dangerous tone, one that Anya had heard before, but never directed at her. "Can this wait?" She gestured at the stage. "I'm supposed to be up in a few minutes."

Victor shook his blond head. "That man you left with the other night? Turns out he's a cop. And he's just been assigned to a case that it would be better for all of us if he left well enough alone."

Anya raised an eyebrow, distorting her tattoo. Victor was a powerful vampire, and if he decided Horatio was too much of a problem, he had a way of making his problems disappear. "And what do you want me to do
about it?"

"I'd give him a firm suggestion to leave well enough alone."
 

In the Lab:

"What have you got for me, Alex?" Horatio entered the lab as Alex stood over their victim. 

Alex perked a brow at him.  "Horatio, we've just arrived."  She returned his stare and finally sighed.  "You got me," she produced a small pack of matches.  "Found this on him.  Maybe some one there knows who he is, can't find any identification.  Speed is running his prints now."

Horatio nodded as he said a curt thanks, exiting quickly as he read the name of the label of the matches.  It was as he had feared.
 

At the club:

Horatio had been here just a while ago to stalk a man he badly wanted to place behind bars for the murder of a child.  Now he was here for a very different reason.

"You the owner?" he asked in approaching the bar.  Eric tailed him and looked around the club before focusing on his boss on the bar.

The Kindred Horatio had approached looked him up and down, trying to place the familiar looking human. "I'm Victor Carlson, the owner of the establishment. How may I assist you?" he said. Then the memory clicked into place, and a wary look crept into his eyes. "You were in here last night speaking to Anya, correct?"
 

Horatio ignored the question as well as Eric's step towards him.  "Do you recognize this man, Victor?"  He pushed forth a picture of the victim's pale head and shoulders, eyes closed and two empty black holes in the side of his neck. 

Victor looked slightly annoyed at his question being brushed aside. He was a highly ranked member of Kindred society, and was used to being treated with utmost respect. But his demeanor changed when he saw the wounds on the victim's neck. "He may have been a customer here, but no one I know personally," Victor said. His mind was wondering who would  have been stupid enough, or brazen enough, to break the Masquerade in suck a spectacular way.
 

"We'll need security tapes from last night between 8 and 12," Eric stepped closer as Horatio's gaze wondered to look for the cameras. 

"Just to confirm this was the last place our John Doe was seen," Horatio looked to the stage for a moment.

"Of course." Victor would also make discrete inquiries of his own among different circles. Vengeance would be swift, but it would be on Kindred terms, and not human ones. If he noticed Horatio's glance, Victor didn't show it. Instead he kept up the image of cooperation.  "Is there anything else I can to to be of assistance?"

"The tapes," Eric said a little more forcefully.  He got impatient fast.  "For now," he added softer. 

"The tapes, Victor.  We'll be back if we find anything," Horatio offered a smile that he didn't feel.  He hoped they didn't.  Though already the story was being covered, his own people watched by men that all looked the same... Alex had one hovering over her waiting for the body to be finished with.  She was afraid to leave it alone even for a coffee break.

"Of course," Victor said in an all too agreeable voice. Catching the eye of one of his employees, he issued quiet orders. Within two minutes, the tapes were on the bar in front of Horatio. "Now, is there anything else I can do for you fine gentlemen?"

"We'll be in touch," Horatio gave Victor a final dubious look as he turned to leave, trusting Eric to gather the tapes and follow behind. 

Victor didn't have to say a word. One of the shadows detached itself from the wall and started following the pair out onto the street. And from her position on the catwalk, Anya watched, worry etching her face.

He set Speed to watching the tapes for their victim.  After a brief check in on Alex he then slipped back into the security of his Hummer and dialed Anya on his cell phone.

Time had passed and Anya had finished her first set. She stepped back to the small table where she had placed her phone before going onstage in time to hear it ring. Ignoring Victor walking towards her, obviously wanting to speak, she flipped the phone open. "Hello?" she asked, although she had a good idea already who it was.

"Anya..." Horatio started the vehicle on the road.  "We need to talk, where are you?"  A glance in the rear view and already he could see his tail following him.  There was nothing he could do about that, this wasn't some action movie.

"At the club," she said with a backwards glance at Victor. The vampire was scowling as he issued orders to underlings, clearly in a foul mood. "What's wrong?" she asked, wondering exactly what had set off the owner of the club.

"We need to talk," he didn't want to discuss it over the phone.  "Can you meet me across the street?"  he didn't want to meet in front of Victor, nor risk that his tail was working with the club's owner and had an ambush in plan.

"I have one more set to sing, and then I'm free for the night," she said. Glancing up, she saw the stage manager frantically pointing to his watch. "I have to go Horatio. I'll be over there in about an hour. Be careful." Hanging up the phone, she went back to the stage.  Victor was too busy yelling at underlings to notice as she picked up
the microphone, cued the band, and resumed her dark songs. All the time though, her thoughts were on Horatio, wondering what the problem was.

Horatio parked across from the club, watching the doors though glancing in his mirrors for movement.  He wanted to walk into that club, up on stage and escort Anya out of there now.  Now.  Not in an hour, not in five minutes.  What chance did he have of doing that?  He was sure now the shadows in his mirrors weren't just his nerves.

Time seemed to crawl by onstage for Anya. The humans in the audience seemed oblivious to the tension in both the Kindred and their ghouled servants who were hurriedly moving here and there. Something bad had
happened to have Victor this agitated.

But eventually her set ended and she slipped from the stage. Behind the curtain however Victor was waiting. "We need to talk, Anya," he said taking her by the elbow.

Anya's lips twitched in annoyance, much as she'd flick her whiskers if she were in cat form. "Can it wait, Victor? I've got plans."

"No, it can't." Victor led her into the dressing room and pointed to her char. There he spent a half hour explaining exactly what had happened and where the danger lay from both human and Kindred quarters.  And he explained exactly what was expected of her.

But Anya was no vampire neonate dependent on her sire. She was Bubasti, and since when has a cat followed orders. "I understand, Victor," she said in an even voice as she rose from the chair. "I'm going to go see my friend now." Without looking further at the vampire, she stomped out of the dressing room and the club.

Spotting Horatio in the car parked across the street. Glaring at two younger Kindred who were trying to look inconspicuous as they watched from the shadows, she opened the passenger door and slipped into the car. "Drive, Horatio, she said. "I'll explain later. Just get us out of here."

Horatio was more than happy to oblige.  He had patiently, though not without worry and an occassional check to be sure he still carried his gun, waited an hour and 30 minutes.  That worry full of images of Anya and Victor.  Too many horrors he might or might not see. 

Without question he put the hummer in drive and onto the road.  "Are you ok?" he asked after a moment, more concerned for her than the case now.  He had never noticed how far away the passenger seat seemed to be until now.

"No," was Anya's one syllable answer. She appeared to be staring straight ahead, but instead was watching for tails following them. It would be easy to say to keep driving until daylight, but all that meant was instead of Kindred following them, ghouls would instead. The still human vampire servants wouldn't be dissuaded at all by sunlight.

"Just find us somewhere we can watch the sun rise," Anya said. Too much of her life was spent at night, in darkness where the shadows could distort and twist. If she had any chance of explaining this to him, she needed sunlight and the clarity and honesty that light could bring.

Taking his time, and any chance to lose a potential tail, Horatio weaved through the city streets.  Though his mind still mentally worked the case, which was habit and something done out of instinct.  He was more aware of Anya and her silence than his subconscious brooding.

Eventually they both made it to Wainwright Park, parking along the side road with a view of trees and water for the sun to dazzle.  He maintained his patient silence, knowing she'd speak when, and where she was ready though he also worried.

Anya settled back into the seat, trying to think the best way to explain everything to him. To see if she could convince him that it would be safest for him just to walk away. Whether she meant from the case he was now involved in, or from her completely. She knew that something like this was bound to happen eventually. She had just been hoping for later instead of sooner.

As she watched the first rays of the sun caress the sky, she began to speak. "Horatio, I don't suppose I can just ask you to walk away from this case. For your own sake."
 

Horatio shook his head.  "No, Anya.  Not just with words."  He had seen this coming.  Had seen it from their first encounter.  "Do you know something... if my team is in danger," he trailed off.  He had never walked away from a case, and there were ways to protect his team... if those ways worked was another issue.

"If I walked away people would do more than ask questions.  How do I explain my fears for my team?"  Reaching across the void that seperated them he took her hand.  "I can't."

In the half light of the dawn, Anya watched him. She expected no less of him, although it was disheartening to hear it at the same time.  "Horatio, the man who was killed last night was killed by a vampire. I know that you've guessed that much. But what you haven't guessed was he wasn't just any man. He was the right hand human servant, a ghoul, to Victor."

"This is the start of something bigger, Horatio. Another faction of vampires is making a bid for power. And in this kind of war, humans are viewed as collateral damage at best, and a threat at worst. No matter how much fighting will go on between them, there is one overriding priority for all vampires - keeping their presence a secret from humanity. They won't hesitate to kill anyone they think that can expose their existence."

He needed time.  Time to think, to plan.  For a man used to thinking on his feet Horatio was stumped.  Yes, he needed to call his team off the case for their very lives.  How did he explain that to them?  How would he explain it to the powers?  He couldn’t. 

His mind turned over several scenarios as he starred at the rising sun.  “I can’t do this alone,” he looked to her. 

"I know," Anya said, finally allowing herself to reach for his hand. "Victor probably has some of the higher ranked police force in his pocket, so you need to be careful. I will help you how I can, but we have to be cautious."

Scooting closer to him, she leaned over the center console to rest her head on his shoulder. Anya wasn't certain if she should tell him exactly what Victor had told her to do. That she was supposed to spy on the human and take action if he was asking too many of the wrong questions.
 

Horatio lay him arm over her shoulders, taking refuge, however slight, in her presence.  Could he do this to his team?  How could he not try to make thme understand what they were up against?  Or should he just keep them safe, feed them false information to seal the case as soon as possible.

Horatio tightened his lips in thought.  "Why help me, Anya?  They are your own kind..."  Did he mean this much to her?  Did she mean as much to him?  Ofcourse he was used to giving all he could, even to perfect strangers. 

Anya's eyes hardened. "They are *not* my own kind," she spat. "The Bubasti are... unwilling indentured servants to the Kindred."  Simplistic, but accurate enough. The Egyptian Kindred held as slaves the only remaining feline Kin of the Bubasti, leaving only human Kin for the werecats to take mates from. But there was a legend that stated once there were no more cat Kin, the Bubasti line would cease to exist. And the Kindred were well aware of that fact. "Any opportunity I can take to tweak their collective noses I will take."

"And more importantly," she continued, her expression softening. "I care for you too much. I can't stand by and watch them harm you because of one of their infighting." She reached over and gently caressed his face with the tips of her fingers. 

Horatio inwardly cringed at her spat, he had assumed that all these others were some how involved... that betraying them would liken to betraying family for Anya. 

"Infighting?"  He reached for her hand, holding it against his face for a moment before interweaving their fingers. 

Anya nodded. "There are different kinds of vampires different bloodlines, or clans with different abilities and tendencies. Several of the clans have formed an alliance against the others, but just because they put on a united front doesn't mean there aren't as many skirmishes behind the lines as in front of them."
 

Horatio tightened his lips and turned his gaze back out the window.  This was worse than gangs, much worse.  With gangs you didn't have supernatural worries.

"Anya... what happens if my team does let it go?"  They'd live.  He'd be out a job.  Other sanctions would haul their asses into it.  "If we can't find anything... everyone can walk away." 

He was nearly gritting his teeth at that last comment, much more that he was trying to get her to help them get out of their mess.  If they covered their asses and knew where to do that his team would have to let them go.

"If the team lets it go, and you keep quiet, nothing happens," Anya said. "But if things keep getting stirred up, steps will be taken to silence them." She had seen it done before, and knew that the Kindred would have no qualms about preserving the Masquerade.

She reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. "Can you do it, Horatio? Can you walk away? For their sake? For ours?"
 

"There are others watching this murder... if we back out, they'll step in.  We need the case closed," everything in him was reeling at the very thought of what he was trying to do.  He wouldn't be sleeping well for a very long time. 

Reaching for the ignition he turned the Hummer on.  "I need you to speak with Victor."  He explained what he would need.  They would leave this case as cold as they could. 

Pulling into the club's lot he put the Hummer in park and turned to face her.  "Watch yourself, Anya..."  Leaning in he ran a hand through her hair, pulling her to his lips.
 

Anya listened to his request carefully. It would be no problem for the Kindred to pull the various strings, see that official interest would be turned in other directions. Horatio's team would be safe.

Horatio himself, however....

Anya tried not to think about that as she kissed him. She so badly wanted to drag him back to her apartment, to reassure each other physically for the day. But they both has missions to accomplish.

When the kiss broke, she leaned in close to whisper in his ear. "Don't come back here. It's too dangerous, even by daytime. Meet me tonight at the abandoned warehouse on Fifth and Main." That wasn't Victor's territory, but she would be safe traveling there. Her notoriety in both human and Kindred circles would afford her some protection.

Horatio sighed at the breath on his ear, her scent so close and warm.  Even in the midst of this dangerous game he could apreciate her essence, that part of his mind and body always tuned to her. 

Anya wanted so badly to stay with him for the day. But there were arrangements to be made for both his and her safety. She pressed one last kiss to his cheek. "I'll see you tonight." Reluctantly she slipped out of the car and walked into the club, forcing herself not to look backwards to see him, or who might be shadowing them.

-- 

He watched the proceedings at HQ.  As no new evidence showed he relaxed.  Eric found a few club members on the tape seem with their victim and Horatio agreed to let him interview them.  During these questionings he was tense inside, nearly exhausted as they came to and end with nothing new to guide them. 

He knew it was Anya and Victor's doings.  That the case was getting chilly because of them.  He was sure the case would be cracked wide without that plan and told himself it was for the safety of his team whenever he regretted it.

His day drew to an end.  Looking only half as bedraggled as he felt he avoided the questioning glances from his team and returned to the sanctuary of the Hummer.  It would appear the case would close, though cold cases never really fully closed, aside from a few loose ends they had to see to.

--

Parking under a broken street lamp at 5th and Main Horatio was only thinking of Anya now.  Part of him feared she wouldn't be here as he exited the vehicle and approached the broken barricade of the warehouse.  Stepping through he resisted the urge to return to the Hummer to retrieve his flashlight.

"Anya?"  He stood and let his eyes adjust to the darkness, knowing she had no trouble at all with it.

Anya stepped out of the shadows. "I'm here, Horatio." She walked forward and straight into his arms, hers wrapping tightly around his waist. She pressed her ear against his heart, listening to the beat that reassured her that he was alive.

It had been a long day. Victor and his ghouls had worked to make sure that all the evidence that could remotely connect the slaying to any Kindred. There had been discussion of possibly framing a political enemy or three, but that wouldn't be feasible given the time.

Once done, she caught a few hours worth of sleep and then went on stage, forcing herself to act as if nothing had happened. But there had been a nagging worry that Victor would still see Horatio as a nagging threat and take steps to remove him. Seeing him, and more importantly, holding him, reassured her to no end.

Horatio sighed, eyes closing as she embraced him.  He rested his chin lightly on her head as her scent washed him over.  "Anya," he breathed, arms wrapping tightly around her shoulders.  She was here.  She was sound.

He relaxed his grip on her and pulled back to run a hand through her hair.  A finger over her lips to her chin.  He paused, brows furrowing as a thought occured... 

"We interviewed some club members... Eric and I."  His voice was low, though a twinge of worry edged into it.  "Will they see Eric as a target?"  As much as he wanted to just forget this whole case for tonight he had to be sure his team was safe for now. 

Anya shook her head. "As long as he drops the case, no. He'll be safe." Her fingers reached up to stroke over his lips, shushing him.  "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

Stretching up on her toes, she replaced her fingers with her lips. She kissed him softly, reassured by the warm feel of his flesh. "Take me somewhere. Somewhere we can be alone together."

Horatio wrapped his arm about her, holding her close as they walked back to his car.  He opened the door for her, kissing her again before closing it and rounding to the other side.

The only place he knew was his own, and he hoped it wasn't near any of Victor's kind.  Lifting the center console up to reveal the seat beneath he reached across for her.  As she settled by his side he started the engine and put them back on the roads.

Anya settled against him, her eyes blinking shut. She had gotten very little sleep during the day, being so busy and so worried. And now that she was next to him, held in his arm, she relaxed completely.  Resting her head against his chest, her breathing became slow and regular. And within two minutes she had fallen asleep.

Horatio usually didn't bother with the garage but tonight it made the trip indoors that much safer.  Taking a few steps to the door he unlocked it and then returned.  Aiding Anya out of the Hummer and then scooping her small frame up he carried her inside.

Laying her on the bed he curled behind her fully dressed, too relieved and exhausted to do much else.  With arms wrapped loosely around her he finally gave into rest.

Anya had been surprised when Horatio had scooped her up like a helpless human female and carried her inside. Nestling onto the bed, she snuggled closer to her lover, lightly nuzzling his neck. "Rest love," she whispered. "I'll keep watch." The poor man probably wasn't used to working days and being awake most of the night.

Nor was she for that matter. Anya let out a yawn as she lightly stroked her arm, her own eyes drooping. Hoping that he wouldn't freak out too much when he woke up, she shifted to her cat form with its more sensitive hearing, and allowed herself to drop into (for lack of a better term) a cat nap.

Horatio stiffened for a brief moment as the texture underneath his hands changed to soft fur.  Then he was swept away into a deep sleep, content with Anya's scent teasing him with each breath.

His entire night did not pass so calmly.  Before the sun cast it's rays through the window Horatio gasped awake, staring at the ceiling.  What had woke him, real or dream, refused to reveal itself, the tattered memory dissipating. 

Anya has spent most of the night on guard, ears twitching at every sound the neighbors made, every slam of the door on the street. But she had gotten some rest, and was jolted into full wakefulness when Horatio jumped beneath her. She immediately tensed, looking for the threat.

When none was revealed that she could sense, Anya stood on all fours on the mattress. Her full body stretch and yawn revealed a deadly looking set of claws, as well as impressive canine teeth. A second stretch and she settled against Horatio, rubbing against his body. Then the fur and fangs melted away, and she was merely Anya again, one hand resting lightly on his chest, feeling his heartbeat. "Everything okay, Horatio?"

Despite the sight of a large, meat eating cat beside him and revealing it's fangs... it calmed Horatio, made him feel safe where the unknown dream had startled him awake.  He rubbed her shoulder as she melted away, felt the fur and muscle change beneath his fingers and felt awed. 

"Fine, now."  Horatio turned his head to kiss her forehead.  Then, "I'm not sure."  She had told him his team would be fine.  Alex, Eric, Speed, Calleigh wouldn't suffer from his actions... but they were on his mind nonetheless.  "Tell me they're okay again..."

"They're okay," Anya reassured. And they would be as long as they stayed away from investigating the murder. But she didn't think she needed to remind Horatio of that fact, or that the same went for him.

She rubbed her hand against his chest. "They're okay," she repeated, and then rolled so she was leaning over him, and softly kissed his mouth.

Horatio had missed this... having her here next to him, her soothi.  He hadn't realized how much so until now.  Reaching up he rested a hand on her shoulder, the other at the nape of her neck.  He kissed her, body heat rising, her long hair silky against his neck.

"I've missed you," he whispered, breaking the kiss and looking up at her.  "I've needed you."

Anya smiled and then lowered herself to rest on top of him. "I've missed you too," she purred. "Needed you too," she said as she slipped one thigh between his. She ran her hands up and down his sides, relishing the feel of his muscles through his shirt.

They needed to take their mind off of all the problems they were facing together. Her hands slipped down his flanks, tickling his waist and hips lightly. "So what are you going to do about it?" she asked in an attempt to get them all to relax.

Horatio smiled up at her, stroking her back and hair slowly.  "That depends," he kissed her lightly.  His hands played down her back, lifting her shirt to touch the smooth skin on the small of her back.  "What would you like me to do about it?"  He wasn't doing very good at teasing, holding back until she spelled it out... though he wanted to, he needed her too bad and his hands and kisses betrayed him.  He kissed her a bit harder, hands lifting her shirt.

"Mmmmmm, maybe this," Anya purred as she started unbuttoning his shirt. Then she kissed his mouth hard, tongue darting out to taste his. One leg worked between his thigh, the toes of her bare foot kneading his calf. "And then you can undress me."

"For an animal you're very organized," Horatio meant to tease but it came out in a husky sigh as she touched his calf and chest.  He pulled her back to his lips, her shirt falling as his hands slipped down to her thighs, kneading them and lifting his hips against hers.  As his shirt was undone, untucked, and opened he sat up.  "Now you," and lifted her shirt up over her head. 

Anya squatted back on his thighs, stretching her arms over her head, giving him a good view of her breasts. She smiled down at him, letting her fingers caress over the muscles of his chest. She lightly circled his nipples with the tips of her nails, raising tiny welts. "And you've got a very well defined six-pack," she purred as her fingers
slid lower and started undoing the fly of his pants. "For a human."

"I'll take that as a compliment," he chuckled, cupping her breasts and flicking his thumbs over her nipples.  He had missed the feel of her flesh so much.  Leaning in he caught her lips as she undid his pants.  Nipping and sucking on her lower lip he whispered against them: "Your turn." and ran his hands down to her waist.

Anya curled and wriggled against him as she kissed him. Her fingers continued to stroke over his stomach, tracing the outlines of his abs. Then the teased along the waist of his slacks before zigging over to his fly. After playfully stroking him through the fabric before unzipping him. Reaching inside, she began massaging him firmly.

Hissing sharply, it faded into a sighing moan as she gripped his member.  Trailing his fingers down her thighs he hooked her skirt and began inching it up out of the way.  Screw the clothes, once he had her skirt of the way he tightened his grip on her hips and pulled her closer, his dripping head parting her lips.

Anya let out a soft purr. They were both eager, both needed this reassurance that the other was okay. Tugging the skirt further out of the way, she flexed her hips and pulled him inside, not letting him back off until he was completely buried inside of her.

Horatio buried a moan of her name in the crook of her neck as she pulled him deep inside.  His slacks were going to tell this story if he didn't wriggle free.  Pushing her on her back he kicked them further down in the process of following her, kissing her breasts and then rolling so he now looked up at her and his longer body didn't smother her.

And Anya was having none of that. She reached up and pulled him back down on top of her, needing to feel smothered, needing to feel covered, and needing to feel protected. She was so tired of being the strong one, and just wanted to be taken care of for once.

Drawing his legs up Horatio hooked hers up as well, tilting both their hips as he began to thrust.  He stroked her smooth calves, thighs, hips, feeling the tight muscles quiver and shifting beneath his touch.  His thrusts were slow, timed, sensual and unhurried.  Arching his spine he bent low to kiss her neck, one hand cupping a breast to knead as he trailed up to cover her mouth with a kiss. 

Anya moaned into that kiss. Her fingers caressed down and then scratched up his spine. She wrapped her legs around his waist, letting her heels drum lightly against his ass with each thrust. Part of her wanted him to urge him on, to goad him into losing control. And another part of her never wanted him to stop.

The only thing on Horatio's mind now was Anya.  And now.  And afterwards... starting all over again.  He wouldn't stop until sun rise... and even then, he couldn't promise himself he'd go to work.  The case and worries from the day weren't even threatening to rise into thought any time soon.  For once, he felt free.  He felt love. 

He broke the kiss with a gasp, looking, falling into her dark pools.  As his climax itched closer he thrust a bit faster, a bit harder.  He kneaded a breast in time with each thrust.

Anya was letting out small squeals with each thrust. He was touching her in all the right places at the right times. Groaning she let her nails scratch into his back. She had never expected to find anyone - Kindred, Kinfolk, or even human - who she she would feel so intensely about.

Catching his lips in hers, she thrust her tongue into his mouth, matching his pace. And the soft moans she gave became harsher cries as her body began to quiver in pleasure. 

Horatio parted his lips for her tongue, moaning into her mouth as their tongues thrust along one another.  Tilting his head he deepened the kiss to the point of bruising their lips, pressing, feeding, thrusting their tongues.  His thrusts grew more demanding, as did his touches and the hand kneading her breast. 

Her cries turned to weak mewls as she trembled from his onslaught. His mouth swallowed his scream and her claws extended from not only her fingers but her toes as well. Anya convulsed underneath her lover
as she melted in bliss.

He was slow to break the kiss as he withdrew from her, lowering his head to her chest and being consumed by a drowsy satisfaction.  Stretching out next to her he listened and felt her heart beat slow down to match his.  So this was what he had waited for, for so long.  This was what he would fight for. 

"How often have you loved, Anya?  Is it as rare as people think?"  He didn't move, his voice a content murmur.

"Not often, Horatio. And not this deeply," she said after a moment's thought. "For me at least. But then my lifestyle doesn't exactly nurture long, passionate romances. But when I saw you," she continued, lightly stroking his shoulders. "I had to make you mine." Her leg lightly brushed against the one she had scarred with the symbol earlier.

Horatio moved his leg an inch subconsciously, he hadn't felt the marking all day thanks to the high stress and concerns.  Though the pain hadn't completely receded, it was as if he had expected it... to not feel the burning would be more of an attention grabber.  But it was there all day, as if it always had been.

Reaching down he ran his fingers over the marking, feeling the intricate design before following her leg up to her hip.  "And I you," he replied simply, remembering how odd it had seemed.  She wasn't his "type" and yet here they were... and he couldn't see it any other way. 

Lifting his head from her chest he gently kissed her valley before looking up in her eyes. 

Anya swallowed heavily, her eyes growing moist. Why did he have to be so tender and romantic? This kind of relationship never worked out for her. They always ended in disaster. And yet, she always had to give it another go, to try again and hope that it would have a happy ending for once.

She reached down and gently caressed the back of his head. Anya opened her mouth to say she loved him, to try to explain the emotions that were tumbling through her. But no words came out.

Horatio partially lifted onto his elbos as she made to speak.  When no words came he reach up to touch her lips, run a hand through her hair.  "I know," he stilled her attempts at words by kissing her softly.  He saw the words that wouldn't come in her eyes, and behind them he saw her worry and pains of the past. 

"All we can do is try," he spoke, lips barely against hers.  "If it's meant..." he didn't finish, instead parting his lips again to kiss her. 

She kissed him back with equal passion. "I know," Anya whispered when they broke apart to take a breath. Her hands started to caress his back, tracing up and down his spine. Even though they had just slept half the day away, she felt exhausted.

Though her touches were rousing him, he could see she was in need of something else first.  Reaching towards his pants, he fished out his cell phone and flipped it open.  "Got a favor to call in," he winked at her. 

Reluctantly he scooted off the bed to make his call in the hallway.  Returning with his robe on he laid another on the foot of the bed for her.  "What can I do to convince you to stay in bed and let me spoil you, Anya?"  he crawled back up on the bed, taking a foot and massaging the heel. 

"Well, just wanting to is a good start," Anya said stretching out.  "And you could convince me more by doing that all over me." Many of her trysts had been quick couplings, her partner leaving the bed almost as soon as it was done. Which just saved her the trouble of having to kick them out herself. The thought of a lover who was interested in more seemed decadent, a rare treat to be savored.

Briefly she thought about saying no, that she had to get back to the club before she was missed. But who was she kidding. Victor probably already knew where Horatio lived, and that she was with him. And perhaps she could use it to her advantage, make him think that this was how she was going to keep Horatio in line.

Horatio smiled.  "Consider it done, and then some."  He worked his way up to her heel and then calf.  Horatio kept his love life to himself.  The women who he was interested in had other needs and wants.  Horatio wasn't one for one night flings and though he was often found in clubs, he didn't take the girls home.  His relationships were over before a new moon cycle could begin.

But there is always one girl, some one who makes a man reconsider his solitaire lifestyle.  Horatio worked on up to her thigh now.  Then paused as his doorbell rang.  "And you stay put, no peeking," he left her and returned within a minute, box in his hands.

"Hope you're hungry," he lay a tray on the bed between them.  Two t-bone steak meals.

Anya sniffed appreciatively. "Smells wonderful Horatio." She didn't mention to him that she would take the meat either cooked or raw. Instead she sat up, tucking her legs underneath her, and flashed him a grateful smile.

She watched as he settled onto the bed next to her. Anya gave him a playful smile. "So are we going to eat these ourselves, or feed them to each other?

Horatio brought out one knife, and one fork.  "Oops."  He smirked.  "So how do the big cats like to be fed from the hands of their lovers?  Just watch the fingers..." he scooted around to sit next to her, cutting a slice from her steak.

Anya gave him a sweet smile as he lifted the strip of meat to her mouth. With exaggerated care, she bit into the steak and nibbled her way to his fingers. Once he let go she chewed rapidly and swallowed. But her hand came up to hold his in place so she could lick every trace of the meat off of his fingers.

"I'll take that as a yes," Horatio watched her lips and tongue clean his hand.  As she released him he didn't lower his hand but guided it through her locks behind her ear, leaning in to taste the juicy meat that had passed her lips.  He had never used steak to get in the mood... but it was working this time.

"Mmmmhmmmm." Anya's tongue slipped out of her mouth to caress his. She scooted closer to him, her fingers lightly rubbing over his chest. It was hard for her to tell what she was hungrier for at the moment - the T-bones, or for him.

Her sweet saliva was only made the more enticing from the juicy bite of meat she had swallowed.  Horatio lent himself to her hunger, opening his robe down his chest, leaving it hang just off his shoulders... and then pulled back. 

With a knowing glance beneath his eye lashes he returned his hands and focus to her feeding.  Cutting a sliver for himself he sucked on the bite, letting it wash his taste buds and douse them in it's flavor while he held up another morsel for his lover, his mate.

Anya again nibbled on the offered piece of meat. She made sure her lips lightly brushed his fingers as she chewed, her sultry eyes never leaving his. Her hand reached up to hold his steady, thumb lightly stroking over the pulse point of his wrist.

Slowly turning his hand in hers he watched her fingers stroking, and then weaving in with his own.  Plucking another bite with his other hand he held it between his teeth, half sticking out from his bite.  Slightly nibbling one end and leaving the other for her he leaned in. 

Anya let out a low chuckle as she ducked her head to take the other end of the strip in her mouth. She began nibbling on the end, slowly chewing. Once the meat was gone, Anya licked at his mouth, kissing and sucking on his lips and slipping her tongue into his mouth.

Parting his lips Horatio tipped his head as their tongues tangoed.  Leaning further he gently guided her onto her back.  Breaking the kiss with a smile he looked down at her.  "You're making it a tough gig to get any form of nutrition into our systems, young lady." 

Reaching down he brought the plate up and finished slicing their steaks into slivers.  Placing one into the tiny hollow of her collar bone his gaze was sultry as he looked up at her and plucked another sliver to place between her breasts.

Anya shivered as the meat was placed at strategic places on her body. She arched an eyebrow as she looked at Horatio as she folded her hands behind her head. "I've heard of your your date saying dinner is on her, but I've never heard of eating your dinner on your date."

Horatio chuckled.  “It’s your fault.  You’re distracting us from our dinner.  Might as well combine the two.”  He held up a slice to her lips.  “Now eat.”  He continued to place another above her navel.  Another on her lower abdomen. Another on each thigh.  Back up he placed one on each breast. 

Leaning down to kiss her he pulled away leaving another in her mouth.  “For you.”  Then kissed her chin, down to her neck.  Leaving small nips as he made his way to the morsel on her collar bone.

Anya squirmed under the touch of his lips, but was careful not to dislodge the meat. "You know, it's hard for me to eat when you're using me as a platter," she purred as her hand came up to cup the back of his head. "Not that I'm complaining," she said a she stroked her head.

Licking down to her breasts Horatio covered the bite and her nipple in a kiss, pulling away with the sliver being ground by his teeth.  "If you had it your way this steak would be raw.  And on me.  Uncut."  Horatio grinned at her.  "Admit it."  He flicked his tongue over her nipple.

Anya purred and arched up beneath his tongue. "Of course," she said with an evil glint in her eye and she flashed him a wicked, toothy smile. "And you forgot to mention that it would be draped over your groin."

"Tempting as it is to have another pair of sharp things near my groin..." Horatio kissed and licked her other breast, letting his train of though idle and his actions speak the rest of the sentence for him.  Cupping one breast he reached for the plate, feeding her another bite before returning his mouth to his own diner.

Anya chewed lazily and swallowed, watching and shivering as Horatio's lips and fingers traveled over her skin. Her fingers lightly caressed the back of his neck as his tongue lapped at the valley between her between her breasts. "Enjoying your dinner?"

"More than any other," Horatio trailed a finger over her lips and chin.  "Is there something you'd like me to taste test?  Or you just want to be petted?"  He took the treat awaiting beneath the sliver on her other breast, flicking his tongue over it before nipping harshly.

Anya purred and arched against his mouth.  "It's your meal," she said.  Her ams went loosely around his back, teasing his spine, slowly working  her way lower.  "But then I've always been a naughty girl and always  eaten dessert first."

Horatio mmmmed and arched with her touches.  "I've always thought aniticipation was half the reward," he whispered against her flesh, licking her ribs.  His hand teased lower though, teasing up her inner thigh to caress her sensitive sex.

Anya squirmed appreciatively, trying to encourage him to move a little  higher.  "So how long are you going to keep me anticipating, lover?"  she purred in a sultry voice.    Her fingers slipped down to his ass,  which she squeezed lightly, just barely digging in with her nails.

Horatio didn't answer so much with words as his movements.  Rubbing a finger between her folds as he licked the curve of a breast. Ignoring the remaining scraps from her body he slowly pushed a finger into her sex.  Drawing it out he circled her sex, teasing her clit before easing the finger past her folds once more.

Anya squirmed against him, arching he hips in an effort to draw him in  deeper.  "Horatio," she moaned, trying to get any part of him inside of  her.   Her nails dug deeper into his ass as she lifted her hips.  "Want  you," she whispered in his ear before she ran her tongue around its  outer curve.

Horatio gasped, his supporting hand digging into the bed with curling fingers as she licked his ear and gripped his ass hard.  His eyes rolled closed.  Pressing his fingers into her without the teasing touch now, he added a second and moved them in short, fast thrusts.  Biting at her neck he pressed his thumb hard over her clit
as he thrust his fingers up against her swollen g-spot.

Anya writhed beneath him, her fingers scratching at his skin.  She  pushed against his hand helping him find that spot that always pushed  her into bliss.  Tensing underneath his knowing hands, she let out a  yowl of a cat in heat as she quivered in orgasm.

Staring at her in her orgasm Horatio found himself breathing hard, falling for her all over again.  Catching her parted lips in a kiss Horatio ran a hand hrough her hair.  Removing his fingers from her he lowered himself onto her, breaking the kiss in a moan.

Anya let out a loud squeal, spreading her legs wider, drawing him in  deeper.  She was still quivering as she gripped him tightly.  Her claws  shifted from his ass to scratch up and down his spine lightly. raising  welts and drawing a few droplets of blood.

Horatio groaned as he sunk into her, arching against her scratching caresses and making them deeper.  Licking her neck he paused with his hips against hers to feel the throbbing of both their desires. He kissed the tender flesh directly beneath her ear.  "Is this what you wanted?" he groaned.

"Yesssss," she hissed.  Anya arched her lower back, pumping her hips  against his.  "Yes," she cried out again as he bit beneath her ear.  Her nails raked  his back yet again as she matched his pace.  "God, Horatio!"

"Uuhnnn," Horatio moaned past gritted teeth as she dug into his back and moved her hips to meet his with every thrust, his face still pressed against her neck.  He moved harder and faster, panting for breath as his desire overwhelmed him.

Gasping and sweating, Anya continued to writhe against him as she  screamed out her orgasm.  She ground her hips against his, squeezing  his cock tightly.  She held her tightly against him as she rode out her  orgasm.

"Anyaaa!"  Horatio jerked, hips digging against hers in violent, short bursts as she gripped his orgasm out of him.  Grunting with each, final thrust he slowed until he had exhausted his climax. Settling next to her with their legs tangled he panted for breath and held her close.

Anya gave a soft sigh as she relaxed underneath him. One hand came up to cradle the back of his head, her fingers tangling into his short hair. There was a wicked glint in her eyes as she gave him a smile. "If that's dinner, Horatio, I'd love to see your idea of desert."

"I am far from done with you, my kitten."  Horatio smirked and lay his lips on her forehead before scooting off the bed.  Ducking beneath the bed he produced a shoe box. 

"Close your eyes," Horatio crawled up next to her, laying the box near her shoulder.  When she closed her eyes he opened it and loosely wrapped a cloth around her head, shutting her eyes until the cloth came off. 

"Do you like guessing games, Anya?"  Horatio ran a finger down between her breasts.

"I guess I like them," Anya said with a wicked smile. She turned her head from side to side testing how secure the blindfold was. She flared her nostrils a bit, to see if she could figure out what Horatio was doing.

Her chest arched as Horatio tickled her skin. Reaching up, she found his back by touch and lightly stroked along his spine from shoulder to the small of his back. "So tell me, lover," Anya purred in a sultry voice. "What are the rules of this guessing game?"

“Just one rule: no peeking.” Horatio retraced his finger, up between her breasts to her neck and around: pulling her to his lips. “Everything else is game,” he whispered, lips brushing hers as he spoke. The time he touched her flesh it wasn’t with his fingers. “This is the game, kitten.” The object brushing her belly was sticky and textured slick. The strong aroma of oranges wafted from it. “Perhaps this one is too easy,” he ran the object down to her inner thigh, tracing fine patterns along the way.

Anya wiggled beneath his teasing, muscles on her stomach and thighs rippling. The scent gave it away, but she couldn't help but want to play dumb to tease him. Plus she could barely feel his fingertips drag across her flesh as he stroked her. She didn't want the game to end too soon, to end that delicious touch.

"Hmm... I don't know," she said with a smirk. Her legs moved restlessly as her lips parted to let her tongue stroke them. "Maybe if you let me have a taste?" she purred. 

Horatio played into her game of innocence.  Afterall, it would draw his own game out far into the night... or day.  He had lost track of the time. 

Breaking the orange slice Horatio wetted his lips and tongue with the fruit.  "Just a small one," he promised, leaning down.  He didn't kiss her just yet.  But teased her lips with his own, drawing a breath away when ever she'd lean into them.  Just allowing the barest touch at first. 

A slight nip.  A small lick.  Horatio reached up to cup a breast.  "Guess and you'll get a kiss," he whispered and waited, lips still just barely within reach.

Anya's tongue appeared to stroke along where he had barely stroked her. "Mmm... let me guess," she purred. "White male, mid thirties, who's recently made love to a werecat." She then followed up with a teasing smirk. "And he's been eating both steak, and more recently an orange."

She teasingly stretched beneath him, rolling her shoulders to raise her breasts. Her legs fell a little wider apart as her smile grew wider. "So do I get my kiss now?" Anya asked as she lifted her head, trying to find him by touch.

"Imp," Horatio chuckled, parting his lips as he pressed them to hers.  His body hovered over hers even when she arched and rolled her shoulders.  Much as he wanted to press against her he knew that the anticipation would make it that much more rewarding when he gave in.

The kiss was short lived, just a taste and the start of a deep and steamy tango before Horatio pulled away.  He held the orange slice up to her lips.  "Treat this fruit as you'd treat me," he whispered.

Anya pouted as she felt his warmth withdraw from her mouth. But she gave a wide smile when she felt the first drops of orange juice on her lips, followed by the flesh of the fruit. Well, since he called her an imp, it was time to live up to the reputation.

Slowly her lips parted. With equal languidness, her tongue uncurled to caress along the length of the fruit, It flicked lightly against a droplet of juice. Making a big show of swallowing it, she then wrapped her lips around the slice of orange and sucked on it hard.

It was every ounce of will power that Horatio used not to take her then and there. He stiffled a groan of need as he watched her with the slice he held to her lips. He gently pressed the slice as she sucked on it, pushing it slowly past her talented lips and watched as she took it in. His cock throbbed with hunger for similar treatment.

Before he could change his mind about his next object Horatio stirred on the bed, reaching for the next object. This one he imediatly pressed to Anya's inner thigh. Cold at first, long and hard without any give when it pressed her flesh. The end nearer her sex soon warmed though, if just slightly after producing a sharp click.

Anya let out a shiver at the cold metal against her hot flesh. She squirmed, wondering what could be making the clicking noise, or why the metal warmed faster than her body could heat it. Puzzled, she tried to lift her head and peer under the edge of the blindfold.

Unable to see anything, she let her head fall back to the pillow with a thump. Instead she spread her legs a little wider, hoping that the movement would give her a better idea of the shape. It was long and cylindrical, cold on one end and warm on another. Her lips pursed in an attractive pout as she tried to figure it out.

Horatio rolled the object along her thigh, letting her feel the hard plastic texture.  He brushed the warm end closer to her sex, teasing her with the barest of touches.  "Do you want to hold it?"  He pressed it between her legs, moving the long edge up and down along her clit. 

"Or should I?"  Again the warm tip pressed to the lips of her sex, slightly parting them.  Horatio breathed a sighing moan as he teased her like this.

"Ahhhh..." she breathed through parted lips. her tongue flicked out to wet her dried lips as she thought about what it could be. She quivered as it touched her intimately, feeling the heat diffuse against her flesh.

She pursed her lips, as much as in thought as hoping that he would kiss them. The shape, the heat, and that click earlier came together. "Is it a flashlight?" she asked. 

"Very good," Horatio bent to catch her lips.  He continued moving the flashlight against her sex, teasing her clit and parting her further.  He gently guided it within her slowly, letting her grow used to the feel of it's unyielding shape.

He pulled from the kiss, "Should I continue?" He asked as he paused the light's progress, unsure if it was pleasing or causing her discomfort.

She rolled her hips, trying to get used to the feel of something much harder than usual inside of her.  But Anya nodded, lifting her hips. "Please," she whimpered.

Her hands went to his chest, resting on his shoulders. Gently she drew him down to her so that he was even with her head.  In perfect kissing range.  Which she did, slowly, lovingly as her arms went tighter around his back.

Horatio kissed her gently, slowly, basking in the heat she made him feel.  He was just as slowly and gently pressed the flashlight deeper into her, moving it in up to his fingers where he paused to tease and
press her clit.  He rested his chest against hers, the feel of her pert nipples against his bare flesh notched his desire up.  He kissed her harder, moved the flashlight out a few inches before starting a pumping motion with it.

"Anya," he moaned as they breathed, placing two fingers along side the flashlight so they brushed her clit with each pumping motion.  He slowed the motion, a flickering of a sly smile coming to his face.  He wanted to build her up before allowing her to cum.  As he pulled the light from her he kissed her eyes through the blindfold.  "Patience, kitten," and brought the light to his lips to lick it clean.

She rolled her hips, trying to get used to the feel of something much harder than usual inside of her.  But Anya nodded, lifting her hips. "Please," she whimpered.

Her hands went to his chest, resting on his shoulders. Gently she drew him down to her so that he was even with her head.  In perfect kissing range.  Which she did, slowly, lovingly as her arms went tighter around his back.

Horatio kissed her gently, slowly, basking in the heat she made him feel.  He was just as slowly and gently pressed the flashlight deeper into her, moving it in up to his fingers where he paused to tease and press her clit.  He rested his chest against hers, the feel of her pert nipples against his bare flesh notched his desire up.  He kissed
her harder, moved the flashlight out a few inches before starting a pumping motion with it.

"Anya," he moaned as they breathed, placing two fingers along side the flashlight so they brushed her clit with each pumping motion.  He slowed the motion, a flickering of a sly smile coming to his face.  He wanted to build her up before allowing her to cum.  As he pulled the light from her he kissed her eyes through the blindfold.  "Patience, kitten," and brought the light to his lips to lick it clean.

He had her squirming, every nerve singing with pleasure.  She could feel her body tensing in anticipation of the coming pleasure, straining eagerly towards that peak...

... and then he stopped.

Anya let out a soft growl of frustration, her hands coming up to stroke over his chest and curve around to grip his back, pulling him closer. She could hear his tongue licking something, and the frustration was
growing because it wasn't her.  "Please," she yowled like a cat in heat.  "Horatio... please."

Horatio couldn't hold back any longer.  Oh he had told himself he would: but with his name on those lips, that plea as she yowled...  he would hold back.  This was exactly what they needed.  Anticipation. He withdrew to find his next object, returning to stroke her thigh. "Patience, Anya.  Relax…" He crooned, calming her before placing the icey chill of his next game along her nether lips.

Kneeling next to her he took her hand as he guided the frozen object into her.  No thicker than the flashlight had been be wrapped her fingers around it as he pressed it inward.  The end she touched tapered suddenly to an inch long pencil-thick handle, callus on the tip but the body was smooth inside her, curved in a soft u-shape.

Shifting lightly on the bed, she wondered what Horatio had planned. She tried to sneak a peak, but had no luck as she felt the mattress move underneath their bodies.  The air was cool against her body where
he had been warming it.

Ana squealed as something cold was shoved inside of her.  "Horatio! That's too cold."  But she recognized the feel and the shape.  Or at least she thought she did, as she broke out into laughter.  "That had better not be a banana!" she squealed, now desperately thinking of some sort of payback for this game.

Horatio chuckled and removed the banana.  Reaching up he slipped the blindfold up to her forehead.  "And if it is?"  A  sly, inviting smile played across his features.  Then: "I'm sorry.  Too far?"  He had to
admit now it had been a while since he had attempted these games, he was rusty.

"Perhaps..." he kissed her cheek, slipping the blindfold completely off.  "You're need of something warmer?"

Anya's eyes blinked rapidly as they readjusted to the level of light. "No, just impatient to get onto what's next," she said with a... well, catty grin.  "Of course, something warmer would be very nice," Anya
purred.  She spread her legs wider, hoping to entice him more.

"Are you need of anything that needed to be warmed?" she said as she sat up to nuzzle the side of his face.  Reaching up, the fingers of one hand skimmed his chest, nails lightly grazing his nipple.  "I'm sure
that you don't want to waste my talents on a banana and a flashlight."

"No, we wouldn't want to waste one ounce of this feline," Horatio smiled, nipping her ear.  He made as if to lower himself between her thighs and haulted.  "But who said this was next?"  He kissed her neck, waited just long enough to put the barest doubt in her mind and then pressed into her moist warmth.

"Better?" he whispered, drawing her ear lobe between his teeth as their bodies moved against each other.  He didn't want to move from this room.  Despite his wishes to live off her love a faint ringing from the next room told him otherwise.  If they had waited this long, they could wait another 15 minutes.  "Ignore it," he moaned, 
purposefully slowing.

"Much better," she purred.  "And I will."  Anya stretched out beneath him, arching her hips to ease him deeper inside of him.  He was hot and hard as she squeezed her muscles around him, slipping her arms around his back.  She could hear the ringing, but did just as he requested.

She then lifted her head slightly, returning the favor and nipping her ear.  "You like, Horatio?" she whispered.  "Or is there something more you would like?" Her nails lightly raked up and down his back.

Horatio moved slowly, pumping his hips against hers in a slow, haulting, nearly teasing fashion.  Like one eating a fruit very slowly to savor it's essence.  "Just you," Horatio's whisper was husky, the hint of a moan riding each word.  "Surrounding me.  Touching me.  Your nails on my back, fingers digging... body pulsing..."  He kissed her lips.  "Your kiss."

"Your love."  He kissed her neck, nipping the tender flesh.  "And you? Would you like something more?  Anything... special?"  He moaned, giving her a sultry gaze full of promise.  He would do anything she
requested.

Anya's returning gaze was equally sultry, dark eyes flashing fire. "You're more than enough for me," she purred, squeezing him tightly. She kissed his mouth, nipping at his lips lightly as her arms tightened
around him, holding him even closer.

But despite her words, she needed more.  Anya planted her feet flat on the mattress and started to lift her hips, trying to speed him up as well.  Much as he described earlier, her fingers dug into his flesh, nails raising little welts as she scratched up and down his spine. Turning her head slightly, she caught his earlobe between her teeth and tugged.

Horatio read her body like a book and as she urged him on he sped his thrusts, pumping into her faster and faster.  Bending down he kissed her breasts, cupping one and bringing it to his mouth to bite and lap.
He tugged on the nipple and rolled it between his teeth until it was red.  Kneading it he briefly turned his oral attentions to her other breast.

He pumped into her harder as he felt their release approach, small grunts espcaping his lips.  Looking down into her eyes he closed that small gap to kiss her fiercely.

Anya gave out a loud moan, arching up closer to his mouth.  her nails raked him harder, threatening to extend into claws as the pleasure built between them.    Her fingers continued their downward path, but
this time didn't trace upwards when she reached the small of his back. this time they went further downward to dig into his ass.

She jolted beneath him, her quivering becoming a full fledged shaking. "Horatioooo!" Anya screamed as the pleasure raced through her body. She squeezed him tighter and closer, unwilling to let him go.

Horatio pumped into her, his body sliding along hers until he was completely spent.   He lay on her after easing out, stroking her side with one hand and breathing hard.  Though he was spent he found his
hands and kiss still gently loving her.  Touching her here, kissing her there.  Soothing her.  Feeling her.  Tasting her.

A knocking shattered his line of thought.  Which was her.  Everything her.  And then the knocking.

He planted a lasting kiss on her neck, a small red welt left behind before dressing himself.  He was late, and expected, but he wasn't going to run off just yet.  "Don't you go anywhere," he smiled, wondering if she were ticklish as his fingers teased her ribs.  He handed her his robe before checking the front door.

He left the front door open, inviting Speed in as he headed for the kitchen.

"...cell phone, radio, pager, home phone..." Speed was listing everything he had tried in contacting his supervisor, Horatio, as he followed him into the kitchen.

"I had more pressing concerns," Horatio knew his team had it covered, that Speed was just pissed off about being sent to fetch his boss.

"How many times you gonna kill off your grandparents, H?"

Horatio raised a brow and looked to find Speed already looking for an apology.

She had laid their lazily, watching Horatio dress as she came down from her orgasmic high.  And only waited a minute after he had stepped out of the room before rising and dressing herself.  And no matter how many times she combed her fingers through her hair, she still looked thoroughly debauched.

Giving up, Anya could hear someone in the house with Horatio.  But she was still relaxed.  If it had been a vampire's servant, they wouldn't have heard him coming.  Or at least Horatio wouldn't have.

Decently covered, she stepped out of the bedroom and went off  towards the kitchen in search of her lover.

Speed gave up on finding an appropiate apology for his boss' lies as Horatio looked behind him and smiled.  Turning to look behind him he raised his chin and a brow in mild disbelief.  So this was why his
boss was late?

"Meet Anya," Horatio slid past the younger CSI to embrace his lover. He then turned to face Speed, an arm around Anya's shoulders.  "This is Speed."

It took a moment for Speed to take the scene in... but now it was clear.  Obvious.  Horatio still had a few wrinkles and ruffles in his outfit to smooth.  The woman in his robe, her hair needing a brush. Didn't most women look even more beautiful this way though.  Speed thought so, and H... a stab of jealously broke his heart.

Nonetheless, he smiled and waved a greeting at Anya.

"Hello."  Anya smiled at what she assumed was a coworker of Horatio's. Obviously, he wasn't used to see half naked woman wrapped in a robe join his boss.  But she thought for a second she saw something other than surprise flicker over his face.

She leaned a little closer into Horatio's arm, and then looked up at him.  Reality was quickly reasserting itself in a most ugly way.  "If you have to go to work, don't let me delay you.  I should really be getting back myself."

Speed looked from one to the other and tightening his lips made a quiet exit.  "Right behind you, Speed," Horatio didn't take his eyes from Anya though.

 Pressing a small metal object into her palm he folded her fingers around it.  "Be safe.  If you need to, stay here."  Kissing her soft and long he reluctantly and quickly released her, following Speed out the door before he changed his mind.

Anya watched him go with soft eyes before she opened her hand.  She looked down at the key Horatio had palmed her and smiled.  She hadn't expected to find a lover, let alone a human lover, at this time of her life.  And despite a sense of foreboding, despite knowing that the vampires she dealt with would frown on such an independent streak, Anya was going to continue seeing Horatio.

Returning to the bedroom, she slowly dressed.  Because once she was dressed, and despite Horatio's invitation to stay, she'd have to leave.  Victor was expecting her to perform tonight, and if she didn't show, he'd send more of his spies out to find her.  And to also find Horatio.  She hoped she could keep the master vampire happy and convince him that the CSI officer was not a threat.  Neither would be an easy task. So it was with a heavy sigh that she let herself out of Horatio's apartment and went to face the night.

Speed didn't wait for his team leader to join him.  He headed out the door and onto his bike.  Seeing Horatio exit the house he took off, emotions mixed about seeing his ex lover with another.  Sure, it had
been nearly a year.  But working with the man every day sometimes allowed for fantasies he kept to himself... and invested hope in.

Things wouldn't change.  But they might be uncomfortable for a while. Speed, lost in his thoughts and struggling emotions, didn't see the Hummer Horatio drove take a wrong turn behind him.  When he arrived at HQ he assumed the team leader had just driven slower then him.  Speed had a love for... speed.  And Horatio had been driving the CSI issued hous- vehicle.  Every other car in Miami was an SUV and they simply weren't intimidated into getting out of each other's ways.

An hour went by before Speed or any one else once again noticed Horatio hadn't made an appearance.

"He was right behind me," Speed raised both hands at Eric, shaking his head.  No way was he going to attempt contact again.  He had seen the man leave his house.

And again, the cell phone, pager, radio, and house phone were not answered.  Tracing the Hummer to a garage there was no sign of the missing CSI this time.  It wasn't like the lead criminologist to up
and leave.
 

this thread has finished but stay tuned for a continuation