I closed the coffin lid and then sat on it. "Where are we?" I asked."We're about an hour outside of Barcelona," Tyler said. "Karen went ahead to the villa to make sure the arrangements checked out."They all looked worn out, except for Julie, who watched me intently. "You really scared Karen," Tyler said. "She thought you'd rip her throat out when you awoke.""She said two days, I said one, and I'm where I need to be. She has nothing to worry about. Julie, shouldn't you be at home making sure nothing goes wrong while I'm away?""I'm where you need me to be," Julie said. "I think you need me to be here with you now." "Tyler? Why are you here?""Someone has to take care of you two during the day," she replied.I knew why Monica and Karen were here. I moved to the couch across from her. "Epic Cu. What can you tell me about the place?"Epic Cu was sometimes called the birthplace of modern torture. During the Spanish Inquisition, Epic Cu provided torture devices for the Vatican.

"That's very kind of you." I wasn't shitting him. I would never invite anyone to join in on one of our meetings with its thinly veiled sense of superiority. "But as I said, I'm not quite sure how much free time I'll have.""Perhaps on a future trip to Spain. Now, to the reason for my visit." He seemed to be studying me. "Many visitors that are Neratomay come to this little town for one purpose and one purpose only. Epic Cu."Julie, who had been standing quietly a few feet from me tensed a bit. I knew it on a telepathic level but doubted if Marcelle or Paolo would have been able to tell.I tilted my head at him. "Oh. Do tell? Why would Neratomay want to visit Epic Cu? I thought it was a torture chamber?"Marcelle wasn't fooled, but he was polite enough to play along. "Epic Cu is a lot of different things including a place to take a sabbatical. You are correct. Epic Cu is a place to be tortured as well. But the latter seldom happens. Generally it's used for initiations.""Initiation

The stone felt strange under my shoes after running so far in the woods. I considered Marcelle's warning not to come here. I considered the warding spell that kept humans from getting close. No, we weren't wanted here, and because no one had leaped out at us with swords drawn didn't make it any different.Julie walked one step ahead. When she reached the landing that led to the door, she froze. "Kim, don't you feel that?"I shook my head. "No. I don't feel anything."Julie braced herself. "I can't go any closer to the door." I nodded. "Stay here then. I'll be careful." It was a heavy wooden door at least fifteen feet tall! Heavy iron hinges that probably weighed more than me were more utilitarian than ornate. I strolled carefully to the door, reached up, and grasped a large knocker.Zing! A shock of lightning threw me back three feet and I landed on my ass. Julie flashed beside me while I held my hand and stared at the door. "What happened?" Julie asked."Silver," I said.

Alexis watched me silently. I knew he was trying to get inside my head to view my memories. Fuck it. Two could play that game. I went into his.Looking into someone's memories was not like watching a television screen of someone's actions. Being inside someone's head is like sharing that person's body. You become them.I traced his memories backwards. Through his eyes I saw him open the great door to see me folded on the front stoop. His still heart jumped in fear because the sun was frying me. Alexis gripped me, lifted me into his arms, and carried me down into the coolness …Alexis roamed these rooms night after night. His memories were mostly of us, of me. For months I had thought he'd forgotten me, and it turns out that his thoughts were always of me. I felt so bad that I'd turned so easily to Tony. I shouldn't have doubted Alexis.I pushed further and saw the familiar Council chambers. It was the ethereal place where Alexis had taken me before my punishment; his Council. This

I lowered myself carefully onto his otherworldly penis. Alexis threw his head back and groaned loudly as I plunged lower onto him. At the beach house this had been Alexis' favorite position, we hadn't been Vampires then. Here it was my Vampire flesh melding with his. It seemed impossible that our skins had never touched this way before. Though as familiar as the back of my hand, this was truly our first time making love.I stopped before he was completely inside of me and leaned forward to plant my hands on each side of his head. He brought his hands up to stroke my sides and squeeze my breasts while I arched my pelvis forward forcing him to sink deeply into me. Arching my back, I allowed him to slip almost completely out of me then rocked my pelvis forward against him until he was completely inside of me again. His hands on my breasts tightened until I gasped half in pain and half in pleasure. I rolled my pelvis against him and then sat up enough so I could reach behind me to stro