I kept my shields up as tightly as I could. I didn't want Asher to know what I was up to...it would only upset him further. I hadn't taken the time to dry my hair when I'd finished my shower. I'd just twisted it back into a bun so it wouldn't drip on my shirt. Ramses was standing in front of Kylie's door like a royal guard or something. Asher would have to pass him to get back to our room...if he returned to our room tonight. I hesitated before continuing towards him. It looked like I was going to have to get through him to talk to Kylie and, more importantly, Jules. Oh well, I needed to talk to him too, whether Asher liked it or not. I wanted to make sure my master had safe passage past him. I stopped in front of him, not really sure how to begin. Ramses stared at some point just above my head. This was *not* going to be easy. I took a breath and plunged in. "May I talk with Kylie?" I asked. "Not now. Jason is with her," he answered still staring at nothing. "They both need rest. And, I don't think your master should have any access to her for a while." His voice grew deadly cold on that last statement. Considering what Asher had done to them, I couldn't blame him for being pissed. "Will she be all right?" I asked. Finally he looked *at* me, gauging my sincerity I think. "Kylie is strong; she will recover from this. She has Jason, she has me, and she has the Absorber," he replied. "Painful as this was for her, she should have done it long ago...it *needed* to be done." "Will *you* be all right?" He honestly looked surprised by the question. "Why would you be worried about me?" he puzzled. "I *know* what Asher tried to do to you," I replied. "You have more than enough provocation to justify putting *him* in a box. What he did to you and Kylie was inexcusable. Still...I would ask that you show him mercy." I glanced down at the floor. Ramses' gaze was becoming very intense. The spicy scent that seemed to always be around him grew stronger. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry that happened and that I wasn't able to help you more," I said softly. I could feel my pulse speed up and I wasn't sure why. The tips of his shoes came into my line of sight as he moved closer to me. "You are not to blame for what happened, child," Ramses reassured me. "Are you so sure?" my voice began to quaver as I reacted to his proximity. "If I hadn't fought Jean-Claude last night, maybe things wouldn't have gotten so out of hand." Ramses brushed a strand of hair out of my face. He'd probably meant it as comforting, but I gasped at his touch, a tremor of excitement building inside me. He lifted my chin, bringing my eyes to his. "If you hadn't fought Jean-Claude, you would most likely be dead now," he murmured as I became lost in his warm chocolate gaze. He began lowering his face towards mine. "And your master would be in even worse shape than he is right now." "He really hurt your control, didn't he?" I whispered as his mouth hovered over mine. "Help me," came his barely audible response. "Yes," I breathed into his mouth as our lips met. My arms went around his neck of their own volition as my hands burrowed into his hair. He cradled the back of my head with one hand. His other arm wrapped around my waist pressing me against him, making me very aware of his arousal. His tongue probed deep, exploring my mouth in its entirety. I grunted a little as my lower lip was caught on the tip of one of his fangs for a moment, cutting it. He moaned in pleasure at the taste of my blood. Then he pulled back from my mouth and began kissing and nibbling down my throat to my collar bone. He pulled the scrunchie from my hair and the damp mass slowly unwound. I shivered at the cool touch of my own hair down my neck. Ramses buried his face in it, making what almost sounded like a growl. My leg was twined around his, trying to pull him closer. My breathing was shallow. I did something I very much did *not* want to do. "Ramses, we need to stop...now, before it's too late," I told him. He worked his way back up the side of my neck, eliciting blissful sighs from me. "But you do not wish to stop," he whispered in my ear then gently nibbled at the lobe. I practically melted against him. His grip around my waist tightened slightly, supporting my weight effortlessly. I fought to keep my thoughts coherent. It wasn't easy. "I would *love* to carry this through to it's logical conclusion, Ramses," I said. "It would serve Asher right if I did this to atone for his transgression. But I just can't bring myself to be that cruel to him, because he and I both would view it as a betrayal." Ramses drew back from me, then held me to his chest in a tender embrace, stroking my hair. "I am so sorry," I whispered brokenly. "Do not apologize, my friend," he soothed. "You have given me a great gift this night. Your show of self-control against your desire has allowed me to regain my own. You are a remarkable woman, Tamara Lowery. I hope that Asher realizes how fortunate he is to have found you." He leaned down and kissed a tear away from my face then brushed his lips across mine before releasing me. "I think it is best that our partners do not know of this," he told me. "It would further stoke your master's unreasoning jealousy, and it would greatly disturb Kylie to learn how much of my control had been eroded away." I smiled and nodded at him. "I'm glad I was here so that she didn't *have* to learn about it," I agreed. I had a feeling it would have seriously damaged something between them if Ramses had succumbed to the ardeur with Kylie on the receiving end. "Would it be all right for me to talk with Kylie in the morning, after everyone is down for the day?" I requested. "Yes, if she will talk to you," Ramses told me. "At least there would be no danger of Asher interfering or eavesdropping." "My thoughts exactly," I smiled. "Goodnight, magi," I said, giving the title the respect it deserved. "Goodnight, Mrs. Lowery," he replied. I turned and went back to the room.