Todd stood by the bed holding her tightly, not wanting to put her down. The things happening in his head confused and frightened him. You could still leave...he thought. You could just put her down and walk away... He listened for the voices, but they were suspiciously silent. There was communication still taking place, however--in a deeper, more visceral way--in the form of lurid images and barely resistible urges. His senses were heightened to a painful pitch, flooding him with vivid information. His neural pathways were beginning to shred from the overload of trying to maintain order amid the sensory assault and inner chaos...

He could feel “total loss of control” as a palpable presence, throbbing relentlessly at his temples. It was right there, poised to consume him at any moment. Fear, rage, and lust seethed around and through him, counterbalanced perfectly with feelings of love, tenderness, and extreme protectiveness. He felt his mind being sucked down into a frightening, seductively unnatural place--a place he had never been before. He felt drugged, disoriented, powerless to stop his actions--powerless to control the overwhelming compulsion that gripped him. The laughter started up inside his head again--close, too close--weird, crazy, maniacal. Fear inched closer in his consciousness, sending icy chills sweeping up the length of his spine... Damn, why can't I shake this...why can't I clear my head... Téa, I'm sorry... I know I should go, but I can't... it's too late, now...for both of us...

He closed his eyes momentarily, trying to focus. Stepping forward, he placed one knee on the bed and extended his arms, depositing Téa gently in the middle--among the pillows and comforters. He shifted his weight and sat down facing her, pausing for a few seconds to try and firm up his tenuous grip on reality. He watched the candlelight play softly across her face, her body. She was watching him, waiting silently. Look at her... she's probably scared to death...he thought... Probably wondering what the hell's going to happen to her tonight... His eyes traveled down her body. A staggering surge of desire warped through him as he looked at her. She's right to be scared...she should run... She doesn't know what she's in for...and neither do I...

He jumped as he felt her hand lightly touch his chest. Todd...the lady...she is waiting... He flinched visibly this time as the amused, coaxing voice rose from the void and materialized in his head... You have more to do, yes...? You must take her, make love to her...do not worry, I will help you... Do not keep such a beautiful creature in suspense...

Leaning over, placing a hand on either side of her, he bent down and kissed her forehead. She raised her face to his eagerly, and he didn't disappoint her. He brushed her cheek lightly with his lips, paused a moment to look into her eyes, then covered her mouth with his, sinking her into a delightful world of warmth and wetness...

Téa met Todd's passion with her own. She absolutely wanted to devour him and was tired of suppressing it. Always hot blooded--sex had never been a problem for her until Todd. The past year with him had been confusing and tortuous--not to mention a blow to her ego. The men in her past had pursued her openly, showed their appreciation overtly--but not Todd. He had refused to behave normally, had never given clear signals. He'd led her on an exasperating chase through all the gates of hell and back trying to figure out where he stood--what he actually thought of her. Worst of all, he had withheld any kind of real intimacy, had left her fantasizing helplessly, yearning for his touch--a scenario that she had never experienced before and a situation that had thoroughly humbled her...

So many nights she had lain awake--tossing, turning, hurting--imagining how it would be to have this beautiful, terrifying man make love to her. She had dreamed of his touch, kiss, his caress--had tormented herself trying to guess his technique, his preferences, his size--how he might feel moving inside of her...

Now that he had begun to behave like a man in love, she was ready--intensely ready to accommodate his needs and desires--and she ached deep down inside to finally satisfy her own. I can't get enough of him...she thought...now that he's finally letting me get near... I come out of my skin every time he touches me... I want to drown in his kisses...

She placed her hand on the back of his neck and returned the kiss, pushing against his tongue playfully--eagerly exploring the soft dimensions and delicious sensations of his beautiful mouth--savoring his taste... Who knew...she laughed inwardly...that he could kiss like this... Ummm... and this is only the first of many, many things that I get to find out about him tonight...

As she contemplated that thought, a sudden chill spread through her body as she remembered what had occurred earlier. I know it's not over... All that pain and rage is still here with us... it's not gone... Suddenly frightened, she pulled Todd close as the kiss ended, burying her face in his neck... Madré de Dios, help me...help me to deal with it--to deal with Pete when he comes... Stretching up to kiss his cheek, his temple, snuggling into his hair--she wished desperately for safety, for his protection--but knew all too well that ultimately she was on her own...

Todd was losing control... In fact, his painfully overloaded brain was shutting down rapidly--leaving reality behind--sending everything systematically into oblivion except the overwhelming compulsion to possess the woman that lay before him. His consciousness was quickly being stripped of everything but his awareness of Téa. All he wanted in the world was to put his hands on her, to hold her, kiss her, slide deep inside and make himself a part of her. His constant fears and misgivings had suddenly, oddly vanished. He felt light, free, disassociated--he was beginning to float...

He kissed the side of Téa's neck, eased out of her tight embrace, and tongue kissed slowly down her throat to her breasts. Leaning back slightly, he ran his hands over them--squeezing, caressing--amazed at her softness. Cupping one in his hand, he lowered his head and licked the nipple of the other lightly. Then he engulfed it with his mouth and sucked softly, lasciviously--feeling her arousal as the nipple quickly became hard against his tongue...

It had been a long, long time since he had experienced this delectable pleasure. He slowed down, working deliberately against the feverish urgency that was building inside of him. Releasing her wet nipple with a voluptuous little smack, he shifted his position, to lie parallel to her. He wanted this to last, he wanted to savor every minute, every precious sensation...

Snuggling back into position over her, he planted a moist, lingering kiss in her cleavage, then caressed and pinched the nipple of her other breast delicately between his fingertips. As it became hard from his touch, he covered it with his mouth, sucking gently. Sliding his hand down her ribcage sensuously, he let it rest for a few seconds on her belly--then he began to rub her slowly, rhythmically--massaging her satiny skin. With each slow rotation, his hand slid further down until, finally, he slipped it beneath her remaining clothing...

As he moved into the enticing snugness, straining the delicate fabric--he felt the blood begin to pulse in his groin, felt a burning heat surging up through his body. Spreading his hand out flat, he touched her lightly at first, slipping the ends of his fingers through her velvety pubic hair. Then balling his fist, catching up a handful, he tugged softly. As he pressed the palm of his hand down again, spreading his fingers out possessively and firmly over her--he eased his mouth from her nipple and stretched up to find her lips once more. He craved that intimate, warm connection--wanted to feel her reactions transmitted through her sensitive mouth into his while he touched her...

Compressing his hand, he pushed down into the warmth between her legs. He felt her body rise slightly, felt her mouth quiver against his as he brought his hand back up slowly, gliding his middle finger lightly across her clitoris. As he stroked her there repeatedly, slowly, letting his finger slide ever deeper and deeper into the increasing wetness, he heard her breathing catch and become uneven--felt her start to tremble and move against him...

Wanting more, Téa placed her hand over his, pressing lightly, begging silently for him to penetrate--but Todd had other ideas. As the kiss ended, he gazed down at her. Her eyes were closed, her breathing deep. She sucked her breath in suddenly, letting a small whimper escape as he touched a most sensitive, receptive spot. Having located it, he stayed there, rubbing in tiny circles, watching her lose control of her inhibitions and slip deeper and deeper under his control...

Feeling the irresistible tingle of deep arousal spreading through her, Téa turned her head away from him and moaned softly. Todd felt chills sweep across his flesh at the sound. He kissed her neck, under her ear--then pressed his forehead against her temple and nuzzled the side of her face. She turned back and reached for him--tangling her hand in his hair, pulling him closer. She kissed him deeply, urgently--her body beginning to strain and contract erotically under his touch...

Ending the kiss, she opened her eyes and looked into his, imploringly. He could see the sultry clouding of passion, the aching desire in her expression. He wanted much more that just to finger her. He wanted to take her completely--wanted to rip the clothes from her body and force himself inside her--wanted to feel her body writhe against his, hear her utter those luscious, carnal sounds... But, it was too soon, it was all going way too fast. He had to change the pace, cool things down...

Satisfied and happy that she was exactly where he wanted her, he smiled and nibbled at her lips--plying her with sweet little kisses, teasing, playing--as he gently refused her unspoken request and slid his hand up to her belly again. She protested, a small hurt sound escaping from her throat. She tried to push him down again, but he grasped her hand palm to palm and forced it back down to the pillow beside her head... “No...no...hush...” he breathed into her ear, kissing her cheek gently... “It’s okay, baby... we've got all night... we'll get there...just lie still now and let me look at you...”

He rose up into a kneeling position beside her on the bed, sliding his strong hands down her body as he moved. Sitting back, resting one palm on her stomach, he studied her in the flickering candlelight, relishing the fact that she was completely his for the taking...

He was aware of nothing but her. His attention was focused completely upon the delightful task at hand. He never noticed the shifting emphasis in his mind, the dark chaotic murmurings rising in the background. The strange disassociation that he felt and the total lack of fear went unchallenged, unmarked...

He was lost in loving her, drowning in her smell, her taste, the way she felt, the erotic way she responded to him. He felt empowered, larger than life, omnipotent--and he never once paused to question where those inflated, forceful feelings were emanating from. It never even occurred to him, in the shredded remains of his tortured mind, that evil could cloak itself so well--that it could masquerade so perfectly...within the pure expression of love...

To be continued...