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.