*Graphic Langue & Sexual Content*

by Michelle M Pillow & Mandy M Roth

“No,” she denied weakly.  “I was working.  You startled me.”

“What are you working on?”

“Just rewrites—boring stuff, nothing interesting,” said Michelle.  She busied herself putting her laptop away and stuffing discs in her bag.  “I was just getting some notes done before I drove home.”

“So, I’m curious, were you going to tell me you were leaving?  Or were you just going to disappear?” asked Dmitri.  His grey eyes bore into her, not giving anything away.  When she blushed guilty, he had his answer.  “What was Jaci saying to you at the bar?”

“Just talking about her books, why?” asked Michelle.  Her heart started racing again to remember Jaci’s words.  She gulped and couldn’t look at him.

“Because your heart leapt, just like it did now,” he murmured.

Michelle jumped up in surprise to hear him right behind her.  He grabbed her wrist and immediately pulled her back down to the couch.

“There is nothing wrong with my heart,” she denied, whispering.  She couldn’t look at him, but could feel the intense heat of his body looming close.

“I agree,” he said, his voice low and seductive.

“No, I mean it’s not leaping.  You must be confused.  There is no way you could see such a thing from across the bar.”  Michelle knew she was babbling, but she couldn’t help it.  She’d been typing and staring at the screen, reliving each stroke of Dmitri’s tongue when he walked in.  She tried again to stand, and again his hand darted out to stop her.  This time, he did not let her wrist go. 

“See it?  No.  But, hear it?  Yes.”  He looked at her face, devouring her with his liquid grey eyes flecked with amber gold.  Her pulse raced along his fingers where he touched her.  “Tell me, why are you so afraid of me?”

“I’m sorry you had to take me to Trolly Cheese tonight,” said Michelle, unable to look at him, as she tried none too gracefully to change the subject.  “If you would have just said no when Mandy mentioned we go out, I would have been fine with it.”

Dmitri let her go.  His gaze flicked over her outfit, before he settled back on the couch.  “Undoubtedly.”

Michelle felt horrible.  “I thought you were blind.  I didn’t think it would matter since you couldn’t see me.  I didn’t actually plan on this….”

“You think a night at Trolly Cheese is what I had planned for tonight?” he broke in, a little harsh.

“I know it’s not!  That is what I am saying!  You should have just gone to your game like you wanted to.  I’m sorry your joke with me got carried too far and you were forced to give away your tickets and actually take me out on a date.”  Michelle nervously twisted her hands, frowning.

“Joke?” he shot back in disbelief.  His eyes flashed with liquid fire.  “You think everything I have said to you has been for my own personal amusement?!”

 “Well, hasn’t it?”

Dmitri shot forward.  His hand snaked around her back and he pulled her hard into his chest.  His face came close to hers.

Michelle gasped, feeling the hard folds of his body along hers.  She trembled, instantly growing hot with desire and need.  Jaci’s words about lycans and their sexual appetites came back to her in a rush.  Her lips parted.  Her blues eyes grew wide in fear, but also with a thread of excitement.

“If you thought it a joke….” he began, only to demand instead, “If this is just a joke to you, then why did you come?”

“I blinded you,” she uttered, so lost, now that he held her close to him.  She was surrounded by the masculine scent of him.  Instantly, she weakened in her resolve.  “How could I not go?”

“Fine, but then why did you kiss me tonight, Michelle?  Why, if this is nothing but a pity date?”

“I…I don’t know,” she whispered, trying to pull her gaze away and unable to.  “I shouldn’t have.  I’m sorr—mm.”

This time Dmitri kissed her, taking advantage of her parted mouth as she spoke.  His arms maneuvered her around with skill, pulling her along his lap so she lay in the crook of his arm as he held her against him. 

Michelle moaned in surprise, feeling the hot onslaught of his tongue prying into her willing mouth, exploring, tasting, claiming.  Nothing else mattered at that moment but the feel of Dmitri.  She shivered.  Her hands wound up into the short hair at the nape of his neck.  His hands moved possessively over her sides and she could feel the heavy length of his arousal beneath his slacks, pressing hot and firm against her hip.  There was no mistaking that he wanted her.

Dmitri pulled back, panting heavily, his breath ragged and hard.  His eyes swirled with golden passion and she could feel the barely contained beast in him held back by only his will.

“Does this feel like a joke to you?” he growled, low and primitive.

“No,” she panted weakly, her eyes hazy to anything but him.  Her heart beat so fast she thought it would explode.  Her lips were swollen from his kiss and every nerve in her body stung with the sensation of him.  She felt branded by him.

“Good,” he stated, a small look of domination and pleasure coming to his handsome face.  His hands gripped her tighter, kneading possessively into her skin.  His mouth swooped down to hers.

Suddenly, the door burst open.  “Hey, Dmitri, we’re out of…blood.”

Michelle pushed off Dmitri’s lap at Jaycee’s words.  The woman chuckled in embarrassed amusement.  Michelle grabbed her purse and keys from the floor.

“I didn’t mean to break anything up,” said Jaycee.

“You didn’t, I had something in my eye and he was helping me get it out,” mumbled Michelle, mortified.  She made a run for the office door without a backwards glance. 

Jaycee turned to Dmitri and laughed.  “If I’m ever hurt, remind me to go to a real doctor, ‘cause that wasn’t her eye you were searching around in.”

“You need to learn how to knock,” growled Dmitri, standing.  He grabbed his jacket off the couch and slipped it over his shoulders, letting it fall forward to hide the all too obvious effect Michelle had on his body.  A small smile came to his face as he thought about it.  Her smell still lingered in his head, her taste in her mouth.  There was no mistaking it.  She had wanted him too.

“In case you forgot,” said Jaycee defensively, “you got a club to run out here and we just got a group of about twenty six vamps clamoring for O positive.”

“Armando keeps it hidden away from the alcohol.  Some moron once poured it into a human’s bloody Mary, instead of tomato juice.  I’ll go downstairs and get it.”

Jaycee shivered, gagging slightly. 

Mandy laughed and looked at their surroundings.  “We’re walking through the park.  I’m in the grass.  Relax.”  She waved her shoes in the air at him, daring him to say something else to her.  “Yeah, that’s what I thought, tough-vamp boy!”

 Armando’s eyebrow rose slightly.  “Kitten, is that a dare?  You are so very fond of those.”

“Oh, yeah, it’s a dare.  Whatcha….”  She didn’t have a chance to finish her sentence.  Armando was on her in an instant.  Her breath caught in her throat as he spun her around, lifted her off her feet, and pulled her close to him.

His lips came down on hers, gentle at first, then hard and demanding.  Their tongues mated and it was bittersweet anguish.  Mandy gripped her shoes, hugging her hands along his back, trying to find anything solid in a world suddenly raging with wondrously confusing emotions.  Each caress left her wanting more, longing to have more than she could ever hope for from him.  She’d never stack up against his years of countless lovers and she knew it.  And yet, somehow, Armando’s touch made her forget everything.  She couldn’t think beyond living for the moment, living to feel him.

A low ringing noise interrupted their brief moment of overwhelming passion.  The sound was just the thing Mandy needed to come back to reality.  She tried to pull back, but Armando slid his hand behind her head and ravished her mouth.  She pushed on his chest in a feeble attempt to stop what she hoped would last forever.  His phone rang again and he groaned, setting her down, and reaching into his jacket pocket.

“It’s the club,” he said.  “Damn it all!”

Mandy touched her swollen lips gently.  They felt bruised.  She trembled slightly, swaying on her feet as she nodded her head.  “I understand, go ahead.  My place isn’t far from here.  This was fun, thanks.”  It wasn’t what she really wanted to say.  She wanted to tell him that she’d waited months to have an evening like this with him, even if that evening consisted of a failed date attempt at Trolly Cheese. 

Armando’s dark eyes widened.  Earnestly, he asked, “Am I being dismissed?”

“No, you said it was the club and I know how you feel about the place.  I just thought that….”  She left off the part about knowing the club was more important to him than she ever would be.

He switched his phone off and returned it to his pocket, not bothering to see what they needed.  His hand came out and he laced his fingers in hers.  Her skin was scalding hot in comparison to his cool flesh.  It was one more reminder of how very wrong she was for him.  Mandy took a small step back and cried out as pain shot through her foot.  Armando grabbed her arm and held her steady as she lifted her foot for further inspection. 

“Damn, stepped on a sharp rock,” said Mandy.

“Yes, put your shoes on before you slice your foot open please.”

She blinked, taken aback by his stern voice.  “Oh, what, you wouldn’t want to have to say I told you so or anything?”

“No, that is not it all.  I am not sure that I’d be able to control myself if your blood was to come into play.”  His gaze fell to the ground, almost guilty. 

It was evident that Armando was embarrassed by this truth.  Why, she wasn’t sure.  She slid her heels back on, holding onto his arm for balance.  “There, all better.  And, just so you know, you are a vampire.  There’s nothing wrong with having control issues when it comes to blood.”

“Not just any blood, Mandy,” he said, soft, so soft she could barely hear the words.  “Your blood.”

She swallowed down the lump forming in her throat.  His eyes swirled, almost darkening to black.  They cleared immediately, but not soon enough.  She had seen the struggle in him.  Armando had never seemed threatening to her before, but this one statement sent chills through her body.  She knew she should send him away or, even better, make a run to her house where he couldn’t enter without her permission. 

Mandy didn’t move.  Her eyes dipped down shyly.  “If you have a need for blood…I—”

“No, kitten, don’t even offer it,” he whispered.  “I would not be able to stop at just a sip and I would not do that to you.  If I so much as tasted a drop, I would not be able to stop myself from taking you completely.”

Mandy instantly understood his meaning.  He’d not only drain her dry, he’d fuck her while he did it.  “I was thinking of taking you past the blood bank, not playing donor.  But, since you put it that way, am I so horrible that you don’t want me?  Way to give a girl a complex.”

“I do not want to be a monster with you,” he murmured, tortured.  “You deserve more than that.  You deserve better.”

Mandy shivered.  Her mouth was dry and she couldn’t have moved from her spot if she’d tried.  His hand was still pressed into hers, his fingers laced, holding tight though she did not try to pull away. 

“Armando, I….”  Her mouth fell open.  For the first time in her life, Mandy was at a loss for words.  She turned and headed for her apartment, pulling the very quiet Armando behind her. 

The short distance to her apartment suddenly seemed like an eternity.  No words had passed between them since Armando’s revelation.  Mandy was afraid that if she spoke it would be to beg him to reconsider.  She wasn’t sure why he was so quiet.

“Well, we’re here,” Mandy said, quietly. 

Armando positioned himself in front of her, bending down slightly.  “You are upset with my forwardness.” 

She wasn’t sure how to respond to that.  Normally, she was the forward one.  Having a man she desperately wanted, come out and confess that he wanted her too, took her a bit off guard. “I’m not upset.  Just a little surprised that’s all.”  

He groaned, tipped his head back, and pulled her closer to him.  “Everything about this has been a surprise.”

“I’m not sure if I should be flattered or pissed by that comment,” Mandy said, taking a small step back from him.  His hand brushed her side and her breath caught in her throat.  She knew that her pulse sped and she knew that Armando sensed it.  The raw look in his eyes bordered on frightening. 

Mandy panted, “I think we should go inside.”

Armando let out a low, sultry laugh, “My dear, Mandy.  I do not wish our first time together to be like this.  You deserve more than an evening at a pizzeria.  I could not in good conscience let it be this way.”

Her brow creased as she tried to make sense of what he was saying.  It hit her then, that he thought she wanted to have sex.  He wasn’t far off the mark, but that wasn’t her goal for wanting to go inside.  No, she was convinced that she was about to pass out if he continued touching her, and she wanted somewhere soft to land. 

“You may be the last gentleman left alive,” she said, with a heavy heart.

“Ah, that is where you are wrong.  I may be a gentleman, but I am far from alive.”

~*****~

            “Late night with Dmitri?” 

             “Hardly!” Michelle said, rolling her eyes at her friend.  She knew that Mandy was baiting her, teasing her, trying to get her to admit that she was completely into Dmitri.  She was, but she wasn’t about to admit it to Mandy.  At least not yet, anyway.

             Michelle caught a glimpse of Mandy skimming the whipped cream from the top of her Iced Coffee and laughed.  “Hey, I thought you were all about the cream.”

             Mandy licked her finger and continued walking down the quiet side street.  The old district of town was their favorite mid-morning meeting place.  She gave Michelle a wide grin.  “I am, in the bedroom.  I don’t want it near my coffee, though.  Oh, hey, look!  That’s new!”  Mandy pointed at the storefront window.            

“Ah, don’t you dare say it!” growled Michelle. 

“Hey, maybe she does fortunes too,” said Mandy.  “Come on, it’ll be fun!”  

            Fun wasn’t the word Michelle was thinking, but she followed Mandy in all the same.  The new age music, pumping the sounds of the ocean through the tiny shop almost made her run the other way.  She knew that there were some genuine articles out there, but she also knew there were even more fakes.           

            A woman appeared from the back room.  Her green silk slacks, and matching silk shell, drew attention to her hazel eyes.  She looked at Michelle and smiled.  It wasn’t until she looked at Mandy that she spoke.  “Mandy, good to see you again!”  

            “Janet!  Ohmygosh!  I haven’t seen you since last years RT convention.”  

            “She’s a writer?” Michelle asked, leaning in close to Mandy.  

            “She sure is.  Janet Walters met Michelle Pillow, she writes the book column for the Nocturnal Journal.”  Mandy turned her attention to the many pictures that graced the walls.  “Oh, who is the hunk with Magda?”  

            “Magda?” Michelle asked, a bit lost in the change of topic.   

            “Magda is Janet’s daughter.”   

            Michelle glanced at the photo of the girl and could instantly see similarities.  Beautiful genes run rampant through this family.  The well-built, blue-eyed hunk with dark hair standing next to her wasn’t too bad either.  

            Janet walked over and touched the photo gently.  “Oh, that’s Magda’s beau, Eric Duncan Blaire, or as we like to call him, Damon.  She tells me that he’s quite the lover.  I’ll have to take her word for it, although, with a tight rump like that, I can’t see why he wouldn’t be.”  

            Michelle’s eyes widened.  This was the girl’s mother?  “I, umm, yeah, I can see your point.”            

            Mandy just giggled and moved to take a seat at the tiny round table in the center of the room.  “Janet, would you mind doing our reading?” Mandy moved to whisper to Michelle, “She’s the real deal.” 

            “Oh, heavens no.  I’d love to do it,” she said, sitting down across from Mandy.  She motioned to the empty chair across the tiny circular table.  

            Michelle, unsure if Janet was about to start a game of gin or read her fortune, hesitated.  Mandy turned and smiled, pulling out the chair next to her for Michelle to sit in. “Sit down, it’s called Cartomancy.  They can predict your health, how wealthy you’ll be, and even your love life, so have a seat Pete.”  

            She sat down, slowly, not sure about the whole reading thing.  Did she really want to know what was in store for her?  Could this woman even tell her?  She shook her head and decided to break the ice.  “So, Janet, have anything new coming out?”  

            “Oh, yes I do.  Heart Throbs will be out soon.  It’s about a woman that put her husband through medical school only to have him leave her in the end.  She’s got a bad taste in her mouth when it comes to doctors, so when she finds out that her new love interest is one, she runs!”  

            Michelle nodded, interested in what Janet was saying, but caught up in the woman’s odd handling of the cards.  She shuffled them and made a three card spread.  Janet glanced up at her and smiled.  “Past, present, future.” 

            Michelle glanced at Mandy.  Mandy grinned and nodded at the cards.  Janet bit her lip, looking them over and then at Michelle.   

            “You’re past has been riddled with heartache and pain, but mostly disappointment,” said Janet. 

            “Isn’t everyone’s?” laughed Michelle.  Mandy frowned and nudged her.  Janet merely chuckled. 

            “You have never found anyone worthy of you and have often been disappointed.  Your expectations of others, and of yourself, tend to be fairly high.  Be careful that you don’t judge too quickly, lest you pass up many opportunities.”           

            “What kind of opportunities?” asked Mandy, completely enthralled.  Michelle wiggled uncomfortably in her chair. 

            “Wealth, happiness, love,” said Janet.  “I see your career as being solid, long.  You will go far.  However, you close yourself off, burying yourself in work so you don’t have to face those things that would lead to danger.” 

            “Not getting into danger is a good thing,” said Michelle. 

            “Speak for yourself,” laughed Mandy. 

            “The danger I speak of is emotional,” said Janet.  “You hide yourself in work so you don’t have to connect and feel.  You’re very afraid of letting anyone close.  I also see you as being insecure about your sexuality.” 

            “Told you, you’re a prude.”  Mandy chuckled, nudging Michelle’s arm. 

“Just because I like to take things slow and don’t bring whips into my bedroom, does not make me a prude,” defended Michelle with a playful grimace.   

Janet smiled at both women, admiring their closeness.  She curled her finger in her short red hair. 

“What about her future?” asked Mandy.  Then, to Michelle, she said, “This is my favorite part!” 

“Ah, the future is always uncertain and ever changing,” Janet winked at Mandy.  “Ah, Michelle, I see a new pet in your life.” 

Michelle frowned.  That was the last thing she suspected.  “A pet?  You’re kidding right?  I barely have time for my cat as it is.” 

“I think…a dog?” mused Janet, confused.  “A large dog?” 

“Nope, sorry,” said Michelle, laughing.  The tension of the reading eased out of her.  “I’m a cat person.  I don’t think I could handle a dog.  Besides, I have visions of a wrecked house just thinking of it.  Are you sure it’s not another cat?” 

“No, this is definitely more like a dog.  A wild dog, a wolf perhaps.  It’s a little fuzzy, but I see you…really loving this pet.”  Janet sighed and bit her lip, looking a bit embarrassed. 

Mandy covered her mouth and laughed.  “Oh my Gawd!  I can’t believe you haven’t figured it out.  New pet—wolf—Dmitri!”           

            “Dmitri?” asked Janet. 

            “He’s a lycan who owns part of that supernatural club, The Raven,” said Mandy.  “He’s hot for Michelle and I think she’s damned ho—” 

            “Ok, Mandy,” said Michelle, uncomfortable again.  She didn’t want to discuss any feelings she might have for Dmitri with a stranger—not when she wasn’t sure herself what those feelings were. 

            “Oh,” sighed Janet, looking relieved.  “That makes a lot more sense.  For a second I thought you were into animals and I was trying to be delicate.” 

            Michelle paled.  Mandy’s jaw dropped for a long moment before she began laughing harder. 

           “That’s just wrong,” said Michelle, weakly.  She tried to smile and stood up. 

            “So, that means she and Dmitri are going to finally screw?” asked Mandy. 

            “If she can open up,” answered Janet. 

            Mandy grinned from ear to ear as she spoke, “Well, let us hope the old rusty gal can ‘open up’!” 

            “If she can open up emotionally,” said Janet, stifling a laugh.  “There will be many risks, but the rewards could be great.” 

            “That’s great,” Michelle broke in, seeing Mandy’s mouth opening again.  She swallowed nervously.  Her heart beat wildly in her chest.  And something choked her.  She was pretty sure it was cold, unadulterated fear.  “That’s enough for me.  Mandy, it’s your turn.  Let’s see how funny you think your future is, babe.” 

~*****~

            Mandy beamed as she moved closer to Janet.  She loved having her fortune told and today was no exception.  Janet told her of her past, how it involved pain, triumph, and had given her a drive to succeed.  She mentioned that this drive carried over to her present and would take her far.            

            She smiled and nodded, engrossed in every detail Janet had to offer.  When Janet got to her future, she stiffened at the mention of a dead lover.  “I’m sorry.  You’re telling me that the love of my life will die?”  

            Janet shook her head and looked a bit miffed at the cards laid out before her.  “No, not exactly.  I’m seeing sorrow, infidelity, betrayal, but in the end happiness in domestic matters.”             

            “Well, this has to be the most depressing reading I’ve ever gotten,” Mandy said, trying to make it sound light hearted.  

            “Don’t fret, dear.  You’ll find happiness, but not before you almost lose it with foolish choices.  You’re petrified to let on that you have feelings too and that you want the American Dream.  You’re self-destructive when it comes to this.  Use caution.”  

            “Oh,” Mandy said, slowly.  “I’m the one who cheats then, huh?”  

            “That’s a shocker!” Michelle said, wryly.  

            Janet leaned forward and touched Mandy’s hand lightly.  “You tend to jump the gun, you always have.  Hear him out before you do anything rash.”  

            “Hear who out?  The lover that will be dead?”  Mandy shrugged and then stood, slowly.  “I guess I could come in for a séance or something.  Thanks, Janet, you’re the best.”            

            Michelle touched her shoulder gently.  “Umm, not that I’m buying any of this, but would a vampire count as the dead lover?”  

            Janet laughed and stood to hug Mandy.  “Yes, that makes sense now.  Boy, you two had me worried for a minute.  I thought one was about to mount a dog and the other a corpse.  They have names for that you know.”   

Q:  Which would you be a vampire or a lycan, why?  

A:  Perhaps a lycan, but I’d rather be a changed feline.  Love cats. 

Q:  What is your favorite color M&M? 

A:  green  

Q:  What’s your favorite genre to write in?

A:  I really have no favorites.  Whatever I’m writing at the present seems to be my favorite.  I have this eclectic mind that tends to jump about.  It’s because I have Uranus, the planet of unexpected events on the cusp of my Rising Sign. 

Q:  Can you tell us a little about your current WIP’s?  

A:  Right now I’m working on a sensual reincarnation serial in eight parts called All Our Yesterdays.  Starts in the present with a heroine who has a strange talent.  When she touches an artifact, she often sees an historically accurate scene from the past, but this time she’s catapulted into the scene and becomes the person who possessed the artifact.  The first is in Egypt where she loves and is betrayed.  She curses the hero and he curses her back.  The next segment is in ancient Babylon, from there it’s China, Pompeii, England during the time of the Viking invasions, Samurai Japan, Switzerland time of William Tell and Peru during the conquest. 

 Q: How did you get into writing?

 A:  When I was in third grade, I read Anna Karenina and gave a book report, but I wrote an alternate ending because I thought throwing yourself in front of a train was dumb.  In nurses’ training, my instructors always yelled because I embedded emotions and other interesting facts along with the dry scientific facts.  When my children were young, I took some writing courses and began to write.  Sold my first short story in 1968 and my first book in 1972.  Alternated nursing and writing until I retired and my children are all grown and out of the house, so it’s back to writing full time.

 Q:  How do balance family and writing?

 A: Easy, when my husband retired, I told him I hadn’t.  He’s taken over the household chores that I hated and I do the ones I like.  When I had children living at home, I wrote while they were in school.  My granddaughter who lived with us until she was eight, used to tell people, “Go away, Grandma’s making words.” 

            Home page www.janetlanewalters.com