I'd had plenty of practice switching the blood tie between Nathan and me on and off. It turned out to be much easier from the sire's side of things. I took deep, metered breaths and mentally constructed a brick wall. Nathan had once suggested a bubble of white light, but I preferred my creative visualization more heavily fortified. I was relieved when Cyrus's barrage of hateful images faded, then disappeared altogether.

"What did he show to you?" Nathan's brow creased in concern, the kind he routinely exhibited before he completely lost his mind in anger.

There was no way I was going to admit to him what had happened, not when he'd almost chopped Cyrus apart in the past. "I'll take care of it tomorrow."

He gazed at me as though I might lose it again at any moment. "Are you sure?"

I nodded and gave what I hoped was a reassuring smile. "Yeah. Just… hold me?"

Nathan stroked my hair as we lay close together beneath the covers. Whether he thought I was asleep or not I couldn't be certain, but after a long, long time he kissed my ear and whispered, "I'm sorry we fought, sweetheart. That doesn't mean I'm not right, but I'm sorry we're in this again."

I drifted to sleep with a bittersweet smile on my face and my head blessedly empty of horrors.

I woke to hands on my breasts, my stomach, dipping between my legs. I smiled against lips that pressed to mine, and I stretched, slowly and lazily, enjoying the attention. Winding my arms around Nathan's neck, I moved against him so his cold, firm body was flush to mine.

He guided my leg over his hip, his thick cock hard and eager against my sex. I was wet and ready for him, so he slipped into me easily, and I cried out at the intense pleasure of it. His fingers traced shivering trails down my arms, up my neck.

Another set of hands slid between our bodies. My eyes flew open and I shrieked in alarm.

Nathan smiled, seemingly unperturbed that another person was in bed with us. Cold flesh brushed my back, and I craned my neck to find Cyrus there, his body curved to mine. As he teased my intimate flesh with his hands, he gave me the same knowing smile I'd seen on Nathan's face. I leaned against Cyrus, eyes sliding closed with the pleasure.

This is wrong, my brain screamed. This can't be happening.

But it wasn't happening. It was a trick, a dream.

It felt so real.