CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“I THINK I’LL do Corinthos first.” Dorman declared as he aimed the gun at Sonny’s head and began to pull back the trigger.

When nothing happened after a few seconds, Harry hissed. “What are you waiting for. Just shoot him and get it over with.”

“My finger won’t work.” Dorman replied in a panic as he struggled to pull back the trigger. “I don’t have enough strength to pull the trigger back. Maybe it‘s the witches. Maybe they won‘t let me pull the trigger.” He looked down at his hands and saw that they were starting to become transparent. “Silvers, what’s happening to me?”

Harry saw the same thing was starting to happen to him, as well. “I don’t know, but it’s happening to me, too.” The translucence of their hands began to spread up their arms and down their torsos to their legs until they finally vanished all together.

One minute Harry and Dorman were standing in the catacombs and the next they were standing in front of Damian in his antechamber. It didn’t take them long to realize Damian had been responsible for what had just happened to them and he had been the one to recall them to Hell.

“You two have been two very busy demons, haven’t you.’ Damian snarled. “Did you really think you could get away with thwarting me?”

“We can explain, sir.” Harry said in a groveling tone. “It’s not how it looks.”

“Give it up, Harry.” Dorman gave him a speaking look. “It isn’t going to work. He knows. We knew this could happen if we took on this assignment. We failed, now we’ve got to take it like a man.”

Just then Victor Jerome was dragged into to Damian’s antechamber spitting curses on Olivia‘s head. “Daughter, how could you betray me like this?” He asked. “I had things all arranged. Once Damian was out of power you would marry Stavros Cassadine and rule the underworld with him.”

“I’m sorry, Daddy.” She sighed. “It’s every demon for herself.” She added. “Besides, I didn’t want to marry Stavros and rule the underworld with him. I much prefer being with Damian.”

“Throw him into the pit.” He ordered. “Don’t worry, Jerome, you’ll be in good company down there. Your pal Mikkos Cassadine is waiting down there for you.”

“What’s going on here?” Dorman asked.

“I’ve rounded up every member of the rebellion you’re a part of, Dorman.” Damian informed him. “And sentenced them to the pit. You and Harry are next. Bon voyage.” He signaled his guards to grab Dorman and Harry and throw thim into the pit together. He looked over at Olivia and kissed her hand. “I think that should stop anyone from ever rising up against me again, don’t you, Olivia.”

“Yes, Damian.” She smiled. “I do.”

SONNY AND CARLY awoke in the catacombs not realizing how close to death they’d just come again. Carly snuggled up to him and nuzzled his neck. She was already hungry for another taste of him. Drinking from him and having him drink from her had been like another way for them to make love to each other. She wondered how much more incredible their love making would be if they added the drinking of each other to their foreplay. She quickly cautioned herself not to push for too much too soon. Sonny hadn‘t really wanted to let her drink from him last night. He‘d only done it because she knew which of his buttons to push so he’d give into her and give her what she wanted. “Good morning, baby.” She said as she slid her hand inside his shirt and fondled him. She wondered if she would ever get tired of touching him and she didn’t think so.

Sonny yawned as he stretched the kinks out of his body. “Don’t you mean, good evening.”

“Well.” She sighed good-naturedly. “Whatever it is, it’s good because I’m with you.” She caressed his face and decided the time had come to take their relationship to a new level. A level she was sure Sonny wasn’t going to like, but he would just have to get used to it like he’d gotten used to everything else she’d forced into their relationship that he wasn‘t ready for. “That’s because I love you.”

Sonny reacted like she’d just slapped him. “Carly, you don’t know what you’re saying. You don’t really mean it. Oh, God, I was afraid this would happen if we drank from each other.” He took Carly’s face into his hands. “Listen to me, sweetheart. You don’t love me. You only think you do because of what we did to each other last night.”

“Sonny, don’t tell me I don’t love you when I do.” She snapped as she pulled away from him. “My feelings have nothing to do with what you did to me last night. I’ve been feeling like this about you for a long while. It just took almost losing you to make me realize exactly what I feel for you.”

“You don’t know that.” He persisted stubbornly. “You know what effect it has on a mortal when a vampire drinks from them. It apparently has the same effect on a vampire. That’s why I was against us drinking from each other. I didn‘t want it to make us think we had feelings for each other that we don‘t really have. That aren‘t real. That are just an illusion brought on by us drinking from each other.”

“Tell me, Sonny.” She fired right back at him. “I drank from you last night, as well. Do you have some overwhelming desire to declare your love for me? Do you feel any different about me than before you drank from me.”

He thought about it for a moment. “No, I feel the same way as I did before.”

“Then that proves it.” Carly declared. “Yes, I felt pleasure when you drank from me, but I was completely clear-headed the whole time. Just as you were when I drank from you.” She took his face in her hands. “Baby, I know you don’t like intimacy, especially the level of intimacy I’m forcing on you. I know intimacy makes you uncomfortable. That you like to withhold a part of yourself from every woman you’re with. But I won’t let you do that with me. I want every part of you and I’ll settle for nothing less. I want to suck you dry of everything you’ve got then give you everything I’ve got in return. I was just being honest with you when I told you I’m in love with you. And if you were completely honest with yourself you’d admit you love me, too. You’re just as much in love with me as I am with you.” She added as proof. “If you weren’t you would have never allowed me to do what I did to you last night and we both know it.”

Sonny put some distance between them by standing up and walking to the other side of the room. “We’ve got to feed, but I don’t know if it’s safe to head over to my blood bank or not. We may have to go out and hunt for food before we head back to Wyndemere.” He added. “We may have to do that a lot from now on.”

She came over to him and hugged him from behind. “That sounds like fun.” She bit down on his earlobe. “You and I out hunting together. “ She added as she squeezed him tighter. “I hope one day you’ll be able to tell me just how much you love me. But there’s no hurry. I don’t need you to say the words to me. You say them every time by the way you touch me and the way you look at me.” She took him by the hand. “Now let’s find Leticia and Michael and send them on to Spoon Island ahead of us. Then we can go out and hunt together like the creatures of the night that we are.”

ALEXIS WAS PACKING her and Ned’s things up so they could move up to the main house when Ned entered. “So, how did it go with Helena?” She asked, but from the smug smirk he was wearing on his face she could tell it went well.

“She bough it, Alexis.” He picked her up in his arms and swung her around. “She bought it hook, line and sinker.”

“Ned, put me down.” Alexis ordered. “If you keep twirling me around like that I’m bound to puke all over you.”

He hurried up and put her back down on her feet. “I forgot that these days it doesn’t take much for that to happen.” He motioned to the suitcases. “I take it by this it means you were equally successful with Grandfather?”

“He was most eager to agree to help me dethrone Helena.” Alexis smiled.

“Ditto for Helena.” He replied. “You do realize this was the easy part. From now on we’re going to have to keep two steps ahead of Helena and Grandfather.”

“How will you play it if Edward discovers that you’re apprenticing with Helena?” Alexis asked. There would be no big problem if Helena should find out that Alexis had allied herself to Edward. Considering the situation it was only natural. But Ned and Edward would be another matter.

“When we move up to the main house.” Ned revealed. “I’m going to act like I’m unhappy about the situation, which I am. I’m also going to start making noises that I think if anyone should be made Supreme Ruler of the witches it should be me, not Grandfather, since it’s my child that is going to secure that position for Grandfather.” He added. “That way I should cover my butt with both Helena and Grandfather.”

“Did I ever tell you what a brilliant butt it is?” She asked as her wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. “It‘s also a pretty devious butt, as well.”

“If we have any hopes of beating grandfather and Helena at their own game.” He caressed Alexis’ swollen belly. “And protect our baby from their machinations. We’re going to have to out devious them.”

“I don’t think that will be a problem.” Alexis smiled. “We were taught in the art of deviousness by two masters. It’s just their bad luck that their pupils are going to turn the tables on them and given them exactly what they deserve.”

LETICIA AND MICHAEL arrived on Spoon Island and Leticia explained that Sonny and Carly would be there shortly but first they needed to feed. Stefan who was well aware of what that meant was filled with revulsion at the mental pictures that created. Bobbie was still out of it, but he knew when Sorel came for her she would be aroused from her sleeping slumber. Leticia offered to sit with her and Stefan took her up on her offer.

An hour had past since Leticia’s arrival and Sonny and Carly still hadn’t arrived. Stefan stormed into Bobbie’s bedroom and demanded answers from Leticia. “All right, “ He snapped. “What is keeping those two vampires. It couldn’t have taken this long for the two of them to find some hapless mortal who they can suck all the blood out of to nourish themselves.” He sniped. “They should be here by now.”

“Mr. Corinthos doesn’t normally feed off mortals.” Leticia explained. “He owns his own blood bank and usually has what he needs delivered to him. But because he has no idea if the demons are watching the blood bank, he has to find a mortal to feed on. There’s only certain types of mortals Mr. Corinthos will feed off of. They have to be either wife beaters or child abusers. And it may take him some time to find one of them.”

“Then once Sonny and Carly’s lust for blood is satisfied.” She continued. “Another lust may need to be sated, as well.”

“Are you telling me the reason they’re not here is because they’re having sex with each other?” He asked in tones of deep outrage. “Don’t they know what’s at stake here? Don’t they care?”

“Vampires are very sensual and sexual creatures.” Leticia explained. “They live to indulge and gratify their every physical need and desire. Just as witches are very cerebral creatures who are very controlled in their sexual desires.”

“I don’t know how you can stand to be around them.” He scorned. “You’re a mortal. Don’t they repel you for what they are.”

“They can’t help what they are.” She sighed indulgently. “They were born that way. A diabetic needs insulin to survive and Sonny and Carly need fresh blood. Aside from that, they‘re no different from you or I.” She added. “I’m glad they’ve found each other. I think they’re finally at peace with what they are and even happy about it. I‘m glad for them.”

CONTRARY TO WHAT Leticia and Stefan was speculating about, Sonny and Carly weren’t off satisfying their carnal desires for each other. Not that they didn’t want to, but they knew that had to be put off until later. Right now, they had to help Stefan trap Sorel and get the warlock to tell them why demons from hell wanted to kill them and their baby.

As Sonny continued to row the boat they were in towards Spoon Island, he finally noticed how quiet Carly was. He could also feel that Carly was upset about something. God, he hated this intimacy that she insisted on them sharing. Why couldn‘t she just be happy with the sex and leave it at that. When this whole thing started all he wanted was for them to find a way to get along with each other when they weren’t between the sheets for the sake of their baby. He’d never counted on some mental link developing between them when they had sex. Now this damn mental link happened even when they weren’t having sex. Without even trying to he would suddenly feel Carly’s moods when she was upset and she was very upset right now. “All right, what’s wrong.” He asked as he continued to move the oars through the water.

“What makes you think there’s something wrong?” She retorted.

“The same way you know when I’m upset.” He threw back at her. “That’s one of the problems with this closeness you insist upon us sharing. Sometimes we know things we don’t want the other to know. So what‘s wrong.”

“Plenty.” She sighed. “We’ve got demons from hell out to kill us and our baby and we don’t know why. I also didn’t care for you feeding off that woman tonight. It just seemed wrong after what we shared last night.” She added. “You should only do that to me.”

“You fed off her, too.” Sonny reminded her. “Our days of going to the refrigerator and taking out a package of blood whenever we get hungry are over. If we’ve got demons nipping at our heel’s they could use the blood bank keeping us supplied in blood to track us down. That means from now on we’re going to have to hunt for our food every night like we did tonight.”

“Maybe we could make a deal.” She suggested. “We’d agree to only feed off members of our own sex so we could just look on them as nothing more than food. That way when we do the same thing to each other we’d be able to keep it as something special we only do to each other.”

“So you intend for us to do that again.” He asked not very pleased about it.

“Of course.” She told him. “ If you’d let me, I’d be doing it right now so I could suck all that slut’s blood out of you and replace it with my own.”

“Need I remind you.” Sonny retorted. “That that slut’s blood is inside you, as well.”

“It’s the principle of the thing. “ She countered.

“You know if the other vampires knew we’d drunk from each other they’d think we were depraved.” He sighed.

“They already do.” She returned. “They think we’re depraved for being together and having a child together. Anything we do after that doesn’t really matter. Which is kind of freeing in a way, because that means there’s no limits to what we can do next together.”

“Very clever, Carly.” He said with pride. “You got me off the subject at hand. Why you’re so upset. But this isn’t about you not liking me drinking from a female mortal after I drank from you.” He added in surprise. “This is about your mother?”

“You’re right.“ She grimaced. “There are definite drawbacks to our minds being at one with each other.” She sighed. “If you must know I’m dreading seeing my mother. If Cassadine hasn’t told her I’m a vampire, I’m going to have to.” She held Sonny’s face in her hands. “Sonny, for the first time in my life I feel good about being a vampire and that’s because of you. But if my mother finds out she’s going to make me feel dirty for being what I am and she’ll make you feel that way, too.” She wrapped her arms around him and burrowed into the warmth of this body. “I don’t want to ever feel like that, again.”

Sonny forced her to look into his eyes. “You won’t.” He promised as he caressed her hair. “If she starts to make you feel that way you just look at me and know it doesn’t matter what she thinks of us, because all that matters is the two of us and how we make each other feel when we’re together.” Then because he could feel how badly she needed him to do it, he buried his teeth in her neck and drank from her.