Bloodbound (w/WillowVX)

"I... Belle, I'm not going to claim to know exactly what you're going through. No one else can ever experience your problems through your eyes." Of course, that wasn't exactly true. If he continued to strengthen his bond with Belle, he would be able to experience all of her misery... secondhand, of course, and far enough removed to revel in it rather than breaking under it. "But... I do know what it's like, to feel like you're king of the world and yet be so tired of it. I know what it's like to hide yourself, to be surrounded by darkness. I know what it's like to want so badly to feel alive, to feel... real. And no matter how much I struggle, I never find what I'm looking for. At best I find... distractions. But, agh..." He ran a hand through his hair. "What am I talking about? This isn't about me. I came here to hep you and now I'm just bitching about me. The important thing is... Belle, you said you feel like... like your only friends are the shadows. And that's not true." He took off his sunglasses and finally risked looking in her eyes. He was deep enough into the performance to control his face. "I'm your friend, Belle. I know I've only known you for like, three days, but still. I am your friend."

In that moment, Belle had never felt closer to anyone in her entire life. Somehow, she didn't know how, but he understood. Maybe I'm not so alone after all, she thought to herself. She looked at him and shook her head. The tears came subtly now.

"No. It helps." Belle said. She was struggling to find the words she wanted to say. "It helps to know that I'm not the only one standing in the darkness." He took off his glasses and the glow of his golden hazel eyes made her feel something she had never felt before. She didn't know what compelled her to do it but she touched his face gently. "You are real, James." She flattened her palm against the side of his face. He felt cold. "Can you feel that?" She asked. She took her hand and put it to hers in the same fashion. "That's what makes us real. Even if nobody else can understand. I'm your friend, too, James. I'm so sorry that I was cold to you before." She looked at him seriously. Her face was close to his and she still found it hard to catch a breath. Her face was red and tear stained and her blonde hair was a mess. "You have done more for me in three days and anyone has done over a lifetime. Thank you... so much."

James gently stroked her cheek with his thumb, closing his eyes as he leaned his forehead against hers. "Yeah. Real. And so are you. You're alive, and you're amazing, no matter how down you might be feeling. So... whatever I can do to help... just let me know." He carefully brushed her hair out of her face. A part of him, quite a large part, wanted to bear her down to the bed and ravage her right here and now. She was in no condition to fight it, she might even welcome it, but no. It wasn't time. It would upset all his plans. For now, he had to tease, had to make her yearn for him.

Belle's heart was beating fast when James brushed her face and rested his forehead against hers. She looked into his eyes intensely as he brushed the hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. She had never felt so vulnerable in her life. At that moment, she knew she had let James in. After what happened to Fred, this terrified her.

"You shouldn't care about me..." Belle whispered. As she said it, she noticed their faces were leaning closer to each other. "I don't want you to get hurt." Her voice became barely audible as she realized how close she was to him. All she wanted was for James to kiss her and to forget about all the terrible things that were happening. She blinked and a tear rolled down her cheek, hitting his hand that was still holding her face. James told her she was alive. The truth was, she had never felt more alive. For the first time in forever she could feel something. As much as she wanted to push James away, she needed him.

"Don't worry about me," he said. James reached his thumb up to wipe away her tear. "I'm tougher than I look." He tilted his head, ever so slightly, his lips drawing nearer to hers. His warm breath washed over mouth as he leaned closer and closer until...

Until he pulled away abruptly, just before their lips could meet. He scooted away from Belle so quickly he almost seemed to vanish, to have teleported. Gone was the forehead against hers, the hand on her cheek, the arm around her shoulder. James sat at the end of the bed, hands in his lap, looking down bashfully. Or at least, his body language was bashful; his hair once again hung around his face, concealing a savage grin. Once he had schooled his features into an appropriate shy smile, he looked back up at her. "A-are you hungry? Like I said I brought food... nothing fancy just... soup..."

Belle closed her eyes and James tilted his head and leaned in. She leaned in as well, he got so close that she felt his lips barely graze hers. She was startled when she felt a gust of wind. Then empty air. She felt cold again. James had moved away from her. She looked over at him, concealing her confusion, and noticed that he looked shy. A little awkward. His bangs had fallen to hide his face. Belle smiled slightly to herself. He was so confusing. One second he was confident and smooth, the next he was sweet and bashful. She wanted so desperately to figure him out.

"Oh, James." She turned to face him and watched as he brought out a container. "That's really sweet. You didn't have to do that." She put a hand to her stomach. "I don't even think that I could..." Belle stared at James and then to the container. She wasn't hungry. She felt that if she ate it would make her sick. But something inside of her was clawing, like a strange hunger. "On second thought, I would love some soup." She took the container from him and smiled, her fingers touched his as she grabbed it. "Thank you."

James gave her his best wobbly, uncertain smile as her fingers brushed his. Once the bowl was in her hand, he dug out a plastic spoon, still in its wrapper, that he had taken from school. "Here. It's, you know, sanitary. Oh, but I guess the soup is probably cold... sorry. Do you want me to heat it up for you? I mean, your microwave can't be too complicated..."

Belle smiled back at James and she shook her head. "Oh, you don't have to do that... I mean you've already done so much for me." Her voice was stuffy and still quivered. She looked down at the soup again. She didn't think she felt hungry but for some reason she really wanted to try it. It was a strange sensation and if her mind were in a logical place, she may have questioned it. But she found it hard to question anything with James so close to her. He had a way of making her feel at ease.

The room was spinning as Belle tried to stand. "I can do it myself. It's okay." She swayed on her feet and fell back down onto the bed. She realized she hadn't eaten anything since lunch the day before and she hadn't slept in over 24 hours. She was weak and exhausted.

And just like that, James was back by her side to steady her. "Easy." He rubbed her shoulders gently for a moment, before pulling his hands away and taking the soup from her. "You're really in bad shape, huh? That's okay." He unwrapped the plastic-ware. "You shouldn't be going anywhere and I'm not going to leave you alone. I know it's a little embarrassing, but..." He scooped up a spoonful of lukewarm soup and held it up to her lips. "Just, go ahead and eat, alright?"

Belle didn't know how James managed to do it but he caught her before she fell backwards onto the bed. He held her by the shoulders again to steady her and helped her sit down. Belle almost wanted to cry again. He said he wouldn't leave her alone. Of course he would though, everybody did eventually. For that moment, she didn't think about it. She was just grateful to have James here. She wasn't worried about feeling embarrassed. She felt so weak that she couldn't even sit up on her own.

"Maybe something to eat would help." She agreed and let James feed her. After the first bit hit her lips, a warming sensation spread through her body. This was odd considering the fact that it was hardly hot. It didn't seem to matter to Belle. She eagerly took every spoonful that James offered her. With each swallow, she could feel herself gathering more strength and balance. Maybe that was what she needed after all. Just something to eat. It was a strange feeling, though. She felt better but at the same time she felt dizzy. It was like that feeling that you get at four in the morning when you're over tired. Almost like a high or a drunk feeling. Belle barely noticed he'd stopped feeding her and the container was empty. She had her head resting on his shoulder and he was still supporting her. She felt strange.

"Thank you so much for being here, James." Belle said, her voice sounded odd. It sounded in a daze. "Can you... can you just stay a while? Please?"

"Of course," he said, rubbing her shoulder gently. For the briefest instant, an image flashed unbidden through Belle's mind--James' hand, stroking her shoulder just as it was now, but without so much as a thread of cloth between them. It was only a moment, since that was the extent to which James could intrude on her mind, but it was already a much stronger connection than they had had before. Last night it had taken all of his concentration just to nudge her thoughts in a particular direction, and now he could tease her with sudden images and impulses. "I'll be here as long as you need me." Another scene flashed through her mind, more vivid since it was a recent memory and not a fabrication--the moment where James had held her in his arms, head leaned against hers, his lips so close to her mouth.

Belle shivered as an image flashed through her mind. It was such a vivid picture. She could feel James' fingertips caressing her bare shoulder. His voice was so soothing as her head was fallen on his shoulder. Her hair fell behind her and it exposed her bare neck and shoulders. The phantom sensation tingled her skin. She could feel his breath as his lips came closer and closer to hers, barely touching. Belle yearned for it. She was desperate for him to kiss her. Her eyes were closed and she held onto him. She let out a small pleading moan. She thought it was in her mind, but in fact, she made the sound out loud. Her mind seemed to have forgotten that James was on the bed next to her.

James held back a laugh at the quiet moan. It was often his experience that the most innocent were the easiest to corrupt. It would be so easy to take you here... But he wouldn't, of course. He would play the gentleman, both to raise her opinion of him and to drive her mad with desire. "Belle?" he said, just above a whisper. "Are you okay?"

The illusion in her mind faded away with James' conscious voice. Her eyes fluttered open and she blinked several times. She raised her head from his shoulder and rubbed her forehead.

"Yeah..." She tried to shake away the fantasy in her mind, she blushed, a bit embarrassed. "I think I was just spacing out. My mind is all screwed up, you know?" Belle rubbed the back of her neck and sighed. "I feel better, though. I think I just needed to eat. Thank you." She smiled at James.

"I'm sure that's not all you needed." Although his tone of voice was innocent, childlike even, another tantalizing image flashed through her mind, his arms wrapped around her naked form. "But I'm so glad I could help, even a little. Now that you have a little food in you... have you slept at all since you heard the news? You must be exhausted. Even though it might mess up your sleep schedule a little, maybe you should go to bed." She was laying on her back, looking up at James as he bent his body down to her--

"I can go if you want. I guess it would be pretty creepy to just... hang around while you were sleeping. Or, I could go downstairs if that's okay? So that, if you wake up or can't sleep, and you need somebody," her mind again flashed unbidden to the kiss they had almost shared, "I'll be there. Is that alright?"

Belle started listening to his words but lost concentration. The fantasies started playing in her mind again. James held her in a tight embrace. He laid her down. She didn't notice that she actually laid her body down on her bed as she pictured this. He was on top of her, skin on skin. She breathed quietly and smiled.

"Yeah." She said in a daze. "Yeah, I should sleep." She could feel James in her mind, running his hands gently over her body, rubbing her arms and shoulders. He brought his face close for a kiss and she brought her arms up to feel the muscles in his upper arm. She wanted to tell James not to leave but she was already taken into a deep sleep. The dream felt so real. He felt cold but he made her body warm. Every light trace of his fingers lingered on her skin. She wanted so badly for him to kiss her. She arched her back and pressed her body closer to his.

She fell asleep so quickly; James couldn't help but chuckle. Although she was asleep, he could still feel her thoughts racing. Even though he had said he would go downstairs, there was no call to do so since she had already passed out. If she woke suddenly, he would simply tell her that she had been moaning in her sleep and he had come to check on her. And oh, how she would moan. He closed his eyes and entered her mind.

It was a simple matter to take over the representation of himself that was already in her dream, already laying with her, touching her, embracing her. When he took it over, there was a subtle but distinct change; after all he had replaced her perception of him with his own perception of himself. His roaming hands, though no less gentle against her skin, were now tense with a great strength they were deliberately restraining. And as she pressed her naked body closer to him, she came up against something she probably was not expecting--his member, already a bit firm against her crotch.

He kissed her passionately, fiercely. He could have done so endlessly; it was a dream, after all, she didn't need to breath. Instead his hands found her shoulders and pushed her away, forcing her deeper against the bed. His fingertips crawled down her flesh until they found her bosom, and he teased her breasts as he arched his back down to kiss her neck. He began to rock his hips back and forth, grinding his pelvis against hers.

Belle never felt so amazing in her life. She was with James. He was laid on top of her, caressing her so lovingly. She gasped when she felt his erect cock pressing against her. This was the most realistic dream she'd ever had. Belle was a virgin. Unlike Fred, she had plenty of opportunities to be with guys. All of which she turned down. A part of her knew this was only a dream but there was another part, and instinctual part, that felt extremely nervous at the feeling of him pressing against her.

Wetness began to gather between her legs as he finally brought his lips down and kissed her urgently, passionately. Belle put her hands into his hair and returned the kiss. The kiss was hungry. It was desperate. Although she didn't realize it, she'd wanted James since she'd seen him smile in History class. Belle replayed the memories in her head. He turned down all of the girls to be her partner. He defended her against Aaron. He came to comfort her when he heard about Fred. He brought her food. He promised to stay with her. That is the most anybody has ever done for her. Not to mention his touch. Every time he brushed the hair from her face or pulled her into him, it made her want to melt.

It seemed like the kiss was never ending. Belle didn't mind. Just as this thought crossed her mind, James pushed her down into the bed by her shoulders. A look of love and adoration lit up her eyes. She smiled at James as his hands traveled down to her breasts. He touched massaged her and rolled her nipples in his palm. She let out a soft sigh and closed her eyes. She never felt physical sensations with anybody. She always kept to herself. And although this wasn't real, she couldn't feel the difference. She felt every stimulation as if it were happening to her body.

James bent down to kiss her neck. Instinctively her body tensed. She never let anybody near that area. It must have been because she was the slayer, that she had a fear of anyone touching her there. It was silly, really. As many vampires as she's killed, they were her one true fear. She didn't trust James. Not completely. But she didn't push him away. His lips were so soothing against her neck as he trailed light kisses. He moved his hips into Belle's, grinding himself into her, back and forth. Her fingers were still tangled in his hair and her legs wrapped around his waist. She rocked her hips to meet his thrusts and ran one hand down to the back of his neck, feeling the muscles between his shoulders.

Even though it was a dream and he was not expecting much resistance, James was pleased to find Belle so eager. The way she clutched at him, with both her arms and her legs, spoke of her desire. Even when his lips touched to her neck and she went tense, she did not push away, but pulled him closer. She was so overcome with desire, he could probably get away with anything...

The bed and the room and the world all melted away, leaving only their intertwined bodies to tumble through a void. Without a floor and a ceiling and the walls between them to stand as a reference point, gravity shifted strangely around them. Although her sense of equilibrium told her she was sitting upright in James' embrace, the weight of his body still pressed his ever-hardening member against her. James noticed this shift, but to Belle it probably seemed as natural as breathing. Didn't dreams always?

He put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her away, just a bit, before cupping her chin in his hand. "I can't take it," he whispered. Then, a little louder, he repeated. "I can't take it. You have to give it to me." His thumb stroked her lower lip. "Can I have you, Belle? Give me your love. Your body. Your mind and your soul. Your life and death. Give it to me."

It felt as if the world no longer existed around Belle. Gravity let her go and if it weren't for the string holding her to James, she would float off into nothingness. The string that held them together was bright. And strong. Unbreakable. This was unlike any dream she'd ever experienced. In her conscious mind, there was no dreaming or awake. The only thing that existed was this moment with James.

Belle resisted slightly as James pushed her away and took her face in his hands. She couldn't explain what she saw in his features. It was serious. Intense. It made her pulse race. Her mind was clouded and she didn't understand what James was saying. He couldn't take it? He wanted her to give it to him? What did he want? Belle started to feel the slightest bit wrong. The pit of intuition and instinct started to stir uncomfortably. But when James brushed her lip with his thumb, the doubt dissolved. Nothing else mattered. There was only James. He wanted her. He wanted all of her. Everything. Belle searched his eyes, which were now a bright yellow. She had never seen anything like it. It sparked a flame of fear inside of her but with the strength of her instinct buried deep into the back of her mind, she couldn't refuse him.

"James..." Belle hesitated.

She pushed him away sightly and sat up on her elbows. It was strange. When her and James touched, she felt the sensations as if it were really happening but she couldn't feel the bed sheets beneath her. She brought her arm up and touched James' face lightly. There was something about him. What was it? How could she have not noticed it before? She pulled her arm back and stared at him. Her breath came quick and heavy. She realized that she wanted all of him. His love. His body. His mind. His soul. Everything. This feeling was so irrational but it felt so real. It felt like she was falling in love with James.

"You already have it." She whispered.

And with that, he entered her. In reality, it would have hurt, and if Belle was still nervous it might hurt in the dream as well. But James suspected that her virginity and inexperience had been driven to a dark corner of her mind. He still had her real cherry to look forward to, and he couldn't help but imagine what sorts of sounds or faces she might make at the stab of pain, but in the dream it was probably all pleasure.

He kissed her again on the lips as he began to drive his manhood in and out of her. His hands caressed the curves of her face, her bosom, her back. New hands appeared and disappeared as his interest wandered. Finally he wrapped both arms around her, pulling her torso tight against his own and holding her pelvis firm as he continued to thrust into her.

Belle gasped out loud, in reality. Her body was still on the bed, for the most part. Her hands clutched her bed sheets as the dream began to intensify. James looked her deeply in the eyes as he thrust his hips slowly forward and entered her. The sensation was so unbelievably strong, it caused her physical body to cry out. In the dream, her body fell back down onto the bed as James' body laid over her. It was instant ecstasy. His mouth came back down on her passionately as his hands explored every inch of the woman who had just given herself to him. The thought that Belle belonged to him now drove her wild. The movements that drove him deep inside of her were consistent and slow. It seemed to Belle that he could touch all of her at once. Her thrusts matched his as the movements became a bit harder.

When James wrapped his arms completely around her, they were as close as they could possibly get. She could feel him press himself into her all the way, as deep as it would go. She let her hands run up his arms and rest on the back of his shoulders. Her hips thrust forward to meet his, helping it go in even deeper. Then they were still. The thrusting stopped. For a moment they laid there together as one. If this hadn't been a dream, Belle would have been worried about her slayer strength. Although nothing compared to a vampire, she was significantly stronger than any other human. But this was a dream. There were no rules here. She could expose herself completely to him with no fear or consequence.

Belle's hips started to make small circles, causing his cock to move around deep inside of her, touching against all of her walls. She let soft moans escape from her lips, causing them to vibrate against his as they continued to kiss intensely.

James couldn't help but grin at the noises she was making, not just in the dream but in real life. Carefully, he settled his fingertips on her knee. Slowly he slid his hand up her leg, until he could massage her groin through her pants.

In the dream, of course, there were no pants, not a shred of cloth between her body and his. The embrace of his long arms seemed to engulf her, and his hands were everywhere, kneading her breasts and squeezing her rump, stroking her thighs and caressing her face. Spidery fingertips crawled over her stomach and back, reveling in the feel of her smooth skin.

James' hands were not the only thing that multiplied as he lost himself in the lust; he kissed her throat and cheek without his lips ever leaving her mouth. He bit down gently on her nipples, and breathed softly over her ear. "My sweet Belle... my dearest Belle... my Belle. Mine." He continued to murmur possessively as he took a firm hold of her hips. If he were to grab her real body so firmly, he would have broken her skin, and maybe more, but in the dream no amount of recklessness could harm her. Only if she feared pain would she feel it. With his grip tightened, he began to thrust into her more ferociously, relishing the feel of her tight, wet pussy as he drove his long cock into her womb.

Belle's body was hypersensitive. Every trace of James' fingertips caused a wonderful ache on her skin. Her nerves were screaming as she could feel his lips trailing softly from her face to throat, all the while never breaking their passionate kiss, which became hungrier, more urgent. Although it didn't hurt, Belle cried out when James playfully bit her nipples. This caused her hips to slam back into his harder, driving him in and out roughly. She felt pressure on her hips as he gripped her tightly in his hands. She had never had sex before but her body let lust take the wheel and knew exactly what to do. James purred possessively in her ear and she moaned, she loved hearing him say that. She was his. As she thought of this, a small fear sparked inside of her, but it was quickly buried along with her instincts.

The thrusts became wild and unbelievably hard. Belle was completely oblivious to the fact that it was still a dream. She was so caught up in the moment that she could swear it was really happening. And to her - it was. James tightened his hands on her hips and stretched her insides with his impossibly large cock. The strokes were hard, fast, and deep. Belle was screaming. She grabbed his hair in her hands and pulled his head back from the kiss to look him in the face. His yellow eyes were blazing even brighter. His lips were swollen and his facial features were perfect, pale in contrast to his dark hair. He was so beautiful. She pulled his hair to let his head fall back and she started kissing his neck, biting down roughly, continuing the kisses down to his chest and back up to his ear.

"I'm yours." She whispered breathlessly. "Forever."

As Belle started to get a little more forceful, James growled. Being an eager participant was one thing, but he would not abide being bitten. He settled his hands on her shoulders and pushed her down; suddenly they were atop some hard, smooth surface. It might have been a floor or a wall; it didn't really matter what it was, so long as he had something to pin her down to. Whatever sense of restraint he had shown when he first touched her was gone, and although no amount of force would hurt her unless she was expecting pain, it was still a display of immense power. Each thrust of his hips flattened her firm buttocks against the surface.

"Mine forever," he said, his intense golden eyes locked firmly against her green ones. "Never forget it." His desire was building as he continued to ravish her, but he tried to hold it back. If this dream self came, his real body might do the same, and that would be an awkward mess. Besides, it was important that he first satisfy Belle. He had a surprise waiting for her... as he thought about it, he bent down over her and began kissing her neck again, still crushing her against the imaginary surface with his hands and hips.