the FAMILY ► private

[o c e a n filled]

x

Hurrying up a flight of stairs, Orpheus made his way to Yasmin's apartment. He had his guitar slung over his back; he always brought it when he went to her apartment. She liked to hear the songs he wrote. Admittedly, all the songs he had written recently were about her. Some of them were more subtle than others, and she didn't always notice, which was good. Some of the raunchier songs were the most subtle, but there was usually a bit of something in the lyrics about biting, blood, and orgasms. His fanbase liked the change, and his band mates approved of the edgier lyrics. So it was all good.

Reaching Yasmin's apartment door, he stopped. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door, putting an easy smile on his face. He loved seeing her.

[SleepingShrew]

And I want a moment to be real
xxxxxxxxxx[ Wanna touch things I don't feel ! ]
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxWanna hold on and feel I belong

Within the last few months, Yasmin had found herself preoccupied with her hair. Her Middle Eastern heritage had never bothered her before, but she found lately that her thick, frizzy hair was becoming more of a problem with each passing day. She stood in front of the mirror, a brush in one hand and a comb in the other as she battled with the heavy bangs that swept across her forehead. There was a cowlick there that didn't seem to want to go away, and she was getting very angry. Picking up a spritz bottle of water, she misted her hair for what felt like the millionth time, raking the brush through the damp hair while reaching for the hairdryer. Its calm whir was almost mocking, teasing her for being so frazzled about a simple cowlick. Breathing heavily, Yasmin stared at the video screen that had come in place of a mirror, boring holes into her head as she watched the cowlick slowly flatten out, falling in line with the rest of her hair.

Heaving a sigh, she turned the hairdryer off and set it down, running her palms over her face and smiling at herself. Orpheus was coming soon, and she finally looked decent. Spinning around, she admired the babydoll top she had found, resting her hands on her hips. She looked great. She was ready for anything that sexy-sweet werewolf had in his arsenal.

There was a knock at the door. She gasped. As she turned to run out of the bathroom, she caught a glimpse of herself in the video screen - there was a distinct kink to the left of her bangs.

Suppressing a loud curse, she ran her fingers through her hair obsessively, pausing in front of the door to fuss with her appearance a bit more. After taking a short breath and closing her eyes, she reached for the doorknob.

The second she saw him, with his guitar slung over his shoulder, she couldn't stop a grin from spreading across her face. "Orpheus!" she exclaimed, reaching forward and wrapping him in a tight, brief hug. "I'm so glad you could make it so soon." She knew that he was pretty busy - bands took a lot of work, even if they didn't have stable names - and was always thankful when he could take a few minutes to visit her. "Come in!" Pulling away, she beckoned, leading him into her apartment.

Stretching her arms over her head, she glanced over her shoulder at him, smiling. "How have you been?" Though she didn't want to admit it, she found her gaze following his neck a bit more than she'd have liked. To be honest, she was relieved that he had come so soon. His blood was, for a lack of a better word, orgasmic. It was the most exquisite thing she had ever tasted, and the cravings were well underway. Licking her lips absently, she sank into a couch. "Practicing hard, I'll bet."

[o c e a n filled]

x

When she opened the door, Orpheus did his best to keep his smile natural. The last thing he wanted was for her to think he was a complete dork. But he was. For her. He was a complete idiot for her pretty face and smoking hot bod. "Hey," he said, trying to play it cool. It was hard not to trip over his feet when she was around. Every time he looked at her, he imagined what she'd look like naked. It wasn't fair to her, either. His dad would've chopped off his d**k if he knew. But Orpheus did a good job of keeping that to himself.

As she walked into the living room, he followed, closing the door with his foot. He tried not to stare at her a**, but it was a lost cause. Everything about her was just [******** hot. Emphasis mostly on ********. He swallowed, hard, trying to repress the wolfy instincts in him that demanded he get his hands on his mate and, well, mate with her. That was just the thing, though: she wasn't his mate. Sure, the wolfy part of him had decided she was, but the fallen angel part of him said no. They didn't get along, those two parts of him. But they would learn. He hoped.

He set his guitar on the floor and then flopped down across from her, nodding. "Yeah. We've got something with a record company tomorrow. One've the band mates wants to rename us The Screaming Vaginas. Another one, our bassist, she wants us to be The Rhage. With an h." He rolled his eyes. "But I think our new set of songs will help us hit it big." With a smile, he crossed his legs at the ankle and dropped his head into one hand. "How're you doing? Getting enough to eat? You look like a twig." He meant that as a compliment. Her lithe, sexy body was perfect. He wanted to pull it underneath his own and leave a few bite marks on her neck, thighs, breasts and abdomen just to make sure other men knew she was his.

[SleepingShrew]

And I want a moment to be real
xxxxxxxxxx[ Wanna touch things I don't feel ! ]
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxWanna hold on and feel I belong

She laughed at the displeased expression on his face, though she knew she shouldn't have. There was something adorable about his unhappy, "you're an idiot" faces. "Well, vaginas shouldn't be screaming...that just doesn't sound pleasant at all." She quickly looked away, tilting her head so that a curtain of thick hair fell in her face, obscuring the hot blush that leapt across her cheeks. It was a very good thing that she was going to be tied down for this. Lately her hormones had been out of control, even when she wasn't hopped up on his blood. If she were free and feeding on him? The poor guy. She always felt like such a b***h-slut when she came to, face still smeared with his blood, and saw bloody smears all over his clothes from where she had yanked at them. It was just cruel.

This would be so much safer.

Flicking her hair out of her face, she glanced at him, smiling. "I'm sure they will. You guys sound so great and your songs are just..." She trailed off, trying to think of the right word. A few flickered through her mind that made her blush again. "So well-composed." That worked. "I expect a signed copy of your first CD."

As he watched her with that adorably nonchalant expression, she chuckled, stretching her arms out in front of her. "I've been eating much better than before!" she exclaimed, cuddling back into the couch she lounged on. "Human blood is so much more nutritious than animal blood, and now that I'm in a place where the human blood comes from willing donors, I'm fine with eating it." She had almost been disgusted upon making the realization that the sheer fact that it was human blood didn't bother her. But realistically, it shouldn't have. If the donors were willing, why was there a problem? She imagined they got paid for their services, anyway. "Although it's not nearly as good as yours." There was no way she hadn't sounded like a sex-starved harpy there, but she didn't care. She licked her lips again, her gaze glued to his neck against her better judgment. "I could gain twenty pounds from that."

[o c e a n filled]

x

The fact that she wanted him was so damn hot. He wanted her something fierce, which was totally unfair to her. Yeah, his blood might make her horny, but there was no way he could take advantage of her. It was just wrong, even if she was sexy as ********. Even if he woke up from dreams of them-- yeah. Bad train of thought. There were things he could be doing that didn't involve imagining what her face might look like when she had an orgasm. But that was a wonderful place to go, at least in his head. He wondered if her cheeks would flush, if her eyes would be open or closed. Would she scream or moan? Would she say his name or just make noise? He decided it really didn't matter all that much what she did as long as he could get her there. Twice. Maybe three times. Maybe when she was tied up, he'd go down on her and see just how many times he could--

Orpheus shook himself. He made it look like a wolfy gesture, like he was shaking off water. "You look pretty hungry," he said, hoping he didn't sound like he was desperate to get her mouth on his body. Reaching up, he scratched the back of his neck. She said she was eating well, but what if she wasn't? What if she was holding off just so she could bite on him? He doubted she would do that, but the stupid male parts of him were insanely turned on by the mere possibility of it. Maybe she liked his blood best.

Suppressing a snort, he stretched. Of course she liked his blood best. His brother in law, Cassie's mate, said his family's blood was like an aphrodisiac. What wasn't to like about that? "You wanna, you know, grab a bite?" he asked, giving her a grin. Yeah, he wanted her on him so damn bad. He wondered if he'd be able to get his meal sans clothing sometime in the near future. That'd be so hot. And they'd known each other for a while. At least half a year. That wasn't so bad. He knew some people had sex after two dates. Like his younger Aunt Lillith. But then again, she had sex with just about everyone. Not that that was a problem. He just wanted in on some of that action. With Yasmin.

[SleepingShrew]

And I want a moment to be real
xxxxxxxxxx[ Wanna touch things I don't feel ! ]
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxWanna hold on and feel I belong

When he stretched out, her thoughts turned nearly pitch black with gutter filth. She deserved a scarlet letter on her chest for being such a mind-whore. Pointedly looking anywhere other than his chest, abdomen, or groin - she was so terrible - she smiled, flushing lightly. "Actually, I would." She licked her lips again, standing up and beckoning for him to follow. "I actually...arranged something." That could have been taken so many ways. Clearing her throat, she led him into a small room that was neither the living room nor the bathroom. It was a study of sorts, and she often used it for homework. She had cleared off the desk and put everything away nicely, tidying it up quite well. In the center of the room was a simple, wooden, four-legged chair with an assortment of rope lengths and bungee cords on its seat.

"I found a lot of this at the garage where I work." She blushed. They had been brand new, still in their packages. A small part of her felt bad for taking them, though she had slipped enough money in the tip can for the boss to replace them. She just wasn't ready to admit that she was buying those kinds of things yet, even if they could be used for completely normal, not-sexy means. "I wasn't sure which would work best, so you can do whatever you want." Not even batting an eye at the implications of that sentence, she sat in the chair, smiling up at him.

"Should I put my hands behind my back, or in front of me?" She moved her hands from behind to in front, simulating each position. "And you can tie my ankles, too, if you want. I want you to be safe, so whatever you think is necessary."

[o c e a n filled]

x

Following her to the small study, Orpheus wondered what Yasmin was thinking. He wondered what was going on in her head almost as much as he wondered what she'd look like naked. Was she imagining sex between them? Was she already thinking about biting him? Was she thinking about having sex with him while biting him? The last made his pants insanely uncomfortable. Sparing her a quick glance, he adjusted himself. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he stepped into the small study and his eyes widened.

She had turned the place into a BDSM haven.

Okay, so not really. But really.

The chair in the middle of the room was a wet dream come to life. Sort of. Actually, not at all. But the implications of it... Yeah, those he could handle. Coughing, Orpheus closed his hands on Yasmin's wrists, pulling her from the chair. "That's... it's kind of awkward, don't you think?" The minute the words were out of his mouth, he realized he had replaced common sense with his foot. "I mean, not like weird or anything, but it'd be uncomfortable. Would you, maybe, wanna try something in your bed? Like, I could tie your hands to the headboard. It might be more comfortable." Because her comfort was the first thing on his mind, right after her breasts, hips, and lips. And that awesome spot where her a** smoothed into the rest of her back. He liked when her shirt hiked up and he could see that part of her body. A lot.

[SleepingShrew]

And I want a moment to be real
xxxxxxxxxx[ Wanna touch things I don't feel ! ]
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxWanna hold on and feel I belong

Her eyes widened as he held her wrists, pulling her to her feet. For a moment, she expected to be pressed against his front, and for another moment, she regretted that she hadn't been. Watching him with a combination of confusion and surprise, she glanced back at the chair. "Awkward?" She looked back at him as he spoke again, mentioning how uncomfortable the chair would be. In a way, he was probably right. He'd have to bend over for her to bite him, which would probably be extremely uncomfortable. But what else were they going to do?

His suggestion turned her scarlet.

"Well, yeah, yeah, that could work." Turning away quickly to try and hide her blush, she stooped to pick up the assorted rope and chord, draping them over her arm and looking up, her hair partially obscuring her face. "I do have a pretty comfy bed." Laughing somewhat nervously, she lead him to her room, laying the ropes down on the foot of the bed and sitting in its center.

The headboard was dark and solid, with rounded peaks rising from the left and right sides. Scooting back towards it, Yasmin looked up at Orpheus, a nervous smile on her face. "Should I...should I just sit up against the headboard, or...be laying down?"

[o c e a n filled]

x

There was a part of every werewolf that wanted nothing more than a pat on the head, a rub to the belly, and a lovingly spoken "Good puppy." It was a strong part of every werewolf. Orpheus knew this first hand, care of his mother, who had demonstrated it on his father, himself, and all of his siblings at any number of times. This was the good-natured side of a werewolf. It was the puppyish side that wanted kisses and loves. It was the side that wanted to please.

And it was the side that Orpheus kicked out the window when Yasmin asked if she should lay down.

"Down, definitely," he said, grinning as he scooped up one of the cords. "Wouldn't want either of us to get a crick in the neck."

But, really, he was being a selfish d**k. And it had a lot to do with his d**k. Because he wanted some of the softer parts of Yasmin's body pressing up against it. Settling beside her, Orpheus laid her down, stretching her arms over her head. "Okay?" he asked as he bound her wrists together and then to the headboard with strong, secure knots. Lucifer was adamant about his grandchildren knowing basic survival skills. He had been a boy scout for a while. And then had gone hunting with some of Lucifer's personal guards. He could tie a person nine ways to Imbolc and leave them with no hope of escaping. Testing the cords to make sure they had enough give that they wouldn't hurt her, Orpheus lay down next to her. "I can lean over you, if that's easier. Or you could turn and lay on top of me." He liked that idea best.

[SleepingShrew]

And I want a moment to be real
xxxxxxxxxx[ Wanna touch things I don't feel ! ]
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxWanna hold on and feel I belong

Yasmin found herself staring shamelessly as he leaned over her, carefully tying her wrists together. His hands were so deft and strong. She subconsciously licked her lips as he pulled back, his neck extended enough that she could see the slight beat of his arteries beneath his skin. Oh, she shouldn't have been looking there. Arterial feeding was dangerous, she knew that. Trying to look away from the pulsing promise, she focused on his face, finding that it did little to soothe her. Flushing as he laid beside her, she glanced over at him, smiling. "Well, it would be easier on you if you didn't have to support yourself over me."

Without another word, she twisted on her side, rolling her shoulders and using her legs to turn herself towards him, finally using her knees to push her up and over so that she was laying on top of him, her chin hitting his breastbone. "Ah, this is really hard," she giggled, wiggling with her knees and elbows until her nose could touch the length of his neck. She took a deep breath, feeling her entire body begin to shiver. "Now don't forget..." she murmured, lowering her lips slowly to his neck. "You can push me away at any time..." With a deep sound of pleasure, she ran her tongue over a short expanse of his skin. "I'm completely disarmed."

Twisting her hands to grip the rope that bound them, she scraped her fangs over the surface of his skin, taking a deep breath to just inhale the scent of his blood through his skin. It was divine. The points of her fangs pricked at him, teasing but not daring to puncture. After a few moments of horrid stalling, she found a vein that would not hurt him and sank her fangs into it, letting out an audible sigh of pleasure as the blood began to pool around them. She retracted her fangs then, running her tongue over the puncture holes. A slow heat began to form in her abdomen that rose to a mild roar as she lapped up his blood. Though her heart was silent, she could feel her skin set on fire as she sucked on his neck, flooding her mouth with his absolutely perfect blood.

She pulled steadily on the bindings around her wrists, barely feeling the friction pains as she slid a knee along his side, pressing herself down into him. Her elbows dug into the bed on either side of his head like railroad spikes, threatening to crash down into the floor. The more she consumed, the more acutely aware she became of the fact that Orpheus was there, in her bed, beneath her. Every little lustful thought, every naughty fantasy and damp dream came back to her in an instant, reminding her oh so sorely that she was wearing a pair of stiff, inaccessible jeans. Letting out a low sigh, she pressed her cheek against his neck, not caring that she was rubbing his blood against both of them. "Orpheus," she whispered, turning to seal her lips around his wound and suck again. "You're so...hot."

[o c e a n filled]

x

When she ran her tongue over his neck, he shivered with delight. When she brushed her fangs against him, he had to stifle a groan. She shifted over him, bit down, and he moaned out loud, unable to keep the noise in. Her body against his was heaven. She was soft and supple, and her hip was riding between his legs in just the right way. Careful not to jostle the teeth in his neck, Orpheus slid one of his thighs between her legs. When she came down on him, he made sure to catch her body with his, and even through the jeans, he could feel her heat.

Settling one hand on her hip, Orpheus ran the other over her hair. He cupped the back of her neck, trying to draw her closer, trying to hold her against his neck. There shouldn't have been anything hot about someone biting his neck and sucking his blood, but with Yasmin, it was different. It was partially how she reacted to him, and it was partially how her teeth felt in his neck. He groaned as her tongue slid over the puncture wounds again, lapping up his blood. Some part of his mind wondered how necessary it was to actually have blood in his body.

Also: she was wearing too many clothes.

There were a number of ways he could rectify the fact that she was overdressed. But he decided to take the easy path as he slid one of his hands under her shirt and over her side. Her skin was silky smooth, softer than the satin fabric of her bra. He brushed his finger over the clasp between her breasts and was about to undo it when the sane part of his mind - the part he definitely didn't inherit from his mother - point out that taking advantage of a high woman was pretty much rape.

With a grumble of disappointment, he dislodged Yasmin from his neck. "Time to stop," he told her, wondering why his whisper sounded so rough.

[SleepingShrew]

And I want a moment to be real
xxxxxxxxxx[ Wanna touch things I don't feel ! ]
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxWanna hold on and feel I belong

Somewhere far away, Yasmin knew that she was making a fool of herself. The tiny pieces of sanity that had retreated to the far corners of her mind were clucking in disapproval as she arched against Orpheus, letting out soft moans as his hand crept along her side. She had heard that guitarists had rough hands, but perhaps she simply liked rough. There were definitely callouses on his fingertips, but they were like an added jolt of excitement rather than an uncomfortable side effect of being a sexy musician. Callouses were like normal skin, yet felt a bit more vacuous, so it felt as if there were a second ghost tracing her skin in addition to his warm palms.

As he fiddled with the clasp of her bra, she clenched her knees on either side of his hips, feeling his thigh sliding against her. That sane part of her mind wondered absently if this was what sex felt like. The less sane and currently dominant part of her mind told the sane part to shut up and enjoy it.

Suddenly, he stopped. She wasn't sure exactly why, but his hand was gone and he was peeling her from his neck. Clicking her teeth unhappily, Yasmin straightened up just enough to look down at him. "Why is it time to stop?" she asked, her voice thin. She licked her lips, catching stray droplets of blood on her tongue. "I don't want to stop," she breathed, pulling on the rope anchoring her to the headboard to help her straighten up until she was sitting upright, directly straddling his pelvis. "I want you." She lifted her arms, grabbing hold of the rope and holding it taut as she pulled her wrists back, settling them behind her neck. The gesture forced her back into an arch that both rocked her hips closer to his and drew shameless attention to her chest. Sliding her tongue slowly over her lower lip, she looked down at him, the beginnings of a pout on her lips. "Don't you want me?"

[o c e a n filled]

x

Orpheus heard a strangled sound, and it took him a minute to realize it was coming from him. His brain was stalling, stuttering to a halt as he stared at Yasmin. Her back was arched, her breasts pretty much begging him to touch them. And he really, really wanted to. But he also recognized, somewhat miraculously, that touching her was a bad, bad plan. He'd have sex with her, and it would be like having sex with a drunk girl. She'd wake up in the morning horrified and he'd feel like a douchebag. Megumi had touched upon the situation enough times for Orpheus to know way better than to continue on the current path.

Sliding out from under her and ducking under the cords holding her to the headboard, Orpheus shook his head. "Yeah, I want you, but I'd rather have you sober," he told her. He eyed the cords, wondering if he should let her go, or just run. He was too good a person to let her stay all tied up. Bending over the closest cord, he quickly released the knot. At least she'd have one hand free. She could get herself loose from the other knot on her own.

"So, um, I'm gonna go into the kitchen. And, like, uh. Make some coffee." He darted out of her bedroom, making a beeline for the kitchen. Sagging against the counter, Orpheus pressed his face into his hands. He had a raging erection and couldn't do a damn thing about it. For a minute, he considered grabbing a paper towel and just dealing with it, but he felt awkward about the fact that he was in Yasmin's apartment. With her in her bedroom. Wanting him. He groaned. "Not. Cool," he grumbled, pushing away from the counter. He ran the tap, rinsing his hands and then his face in the cool water. Turning away from the sink, he began hunting around her kitchen for coffee.

[SleepingShrew]

And I want a moment to be real
xxxxxxxxxx[ Wanna touch things I don't feel ! ]
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxWanna hold on and feel I belong

She wasn't sure what she felt when he pulled away from her, but it made her want to cry. Yasmin didn't like rejection. Granted, most people didn't like rejection, but it always made her feel useless. Staring down at her free hand, she stayed rooted to the spot for a good thirty seconds before even realizing that he had gone. When she did make that realization, she scrambled to untie her other wrist, managing to only widen the noose around her hand slightly before just yanking free. Ignoring the slight throbbing in her abused hand, Yasmin darted out of her bedroom, vaguely remembering that he said he was making coffee.

He was peering in one of the cabinets, his back to her. She paused, staring at him as he searched for the coffee. For a moment, she wanted to leap on his back. She decided against it. Instead, she padded quietly into the kitchen, leaning against his back and sliding her arms around his waist. He was so warm. Burying her face into the space between his shoulderblades, she let out a sigh. "You must hate me," she mumbled, doing her best to keep her head straight. It was like being on a rocket high before crashing into the earth. "I drink your blood and turn into this...slut monster." Peeling her face from his back, she leaned her cheek against him, murmuring softly. "But it's so hard to explain, your blood is just...it's so intense, it makes me feel..." Against her better judgment, she felt tears sting her eyes. "Almost like my heart's beating again..."

Giving him a slight squeeze, she released him, wiping furiously at her eyes. "And it isn't like I don't want you when I'm sober. I'm just...too shy to say anything..." Hell, she didn't knwo why she was saying this now. It was word vomit; it just kept coming, and she couldn't do a damn thing about it.

[o c e a n filled]

x

When she pressed against his back, Orpheus froze. He rarely visited her without a glamour on his wings; it was more convenient to make them invisible and insubstantial. But that didn't negate the fact that they were there and she was currently pressed intimately between them. It'd be like him laying between her thighs. His heart did a funny jumpy floppy thing as she started talking, and he swallowed hard, closing his eyes. She thought terribly of herself, and for no reason. How the hell couldn't she know how he felt about her? Every song he wrote lately was about her. And him. And crazy hot vampire sex.

Oh, and she liked him when she wasn't hopped up on his - wait.

Orpheus turned slowly, not wanting to dislodge her. He wrapped his arms around her and then his wings. His hand drew her face to his chest as he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Don't cry, princess," he murmured, brushing his lips over her ear. "I like you all the time. It's why I write songs for you." He paused, letting his thumb brush over the back of her neck. After a moment, he took a quiet breath and started singing. Not one of his songs; he didn't write love songs, really. Maybe that was what got things so confused.

"All that I'm after is a life full of laughter as long as I'm laughin' with you. I'm thinkin' that all that still matters is love ever after, after the life we've been through, 'cause I know there's no life after you," he sang softly, caressing her neck.