The Dream Master

A Total-E-Bound Publication

www.total-e-bound.com

The Dream Master ISBN # 978-0-85715-289-3 ©Copyright Maggie Nash 2010 Cover Art by April Martinez ©Copyright September 2010 Edited by Jess Bimberg Total-E-Bound Publishing This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Total-E-Bound Publishing. Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Total-E-Bound Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution. The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork. Published in 2010 by Total-E-Bound Publishing, Think Tank, Ruston Way, Lincoln, LN6 7FL, United Kingdom.

Warning: This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has been rated Total-e-burning.

THE DREAM MASTER Maggie Nash

Dedication To Pam, Tess and Elektra, my original partners in crime — a toast to our successful move forward.

Trademarks Acknowledgement The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Krispy Kremes: Jacuzzi: Corolla: Issey Miyake: Big Brother: Men in Black: Wile E. Coyote:

Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation Jacuzzi Brand Corporation Toyota Motor Corporation Beauté Prestige International Endemol International B.V Amblin Entertainment Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc

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Chapter One

The girl was naked. The bed where she lay was swathed in red satin. White tulle suspended from the ceiling hung loosely around the edges of the bed, teasing her long, tanned legs. The heady scent of sandalwood pervaded the room where the only light source was a dozen lighted candles grouped together on the window ledge. Ravel’s Bolero played softly in the background while the telltale sounds of a woman’s pleasure came fast and furious from her open mouth. She writhed and slithered on the sensuous material and her legs parted. A man approached the bed, only his back visible. His pale blond hair flowed just a shade past the wide shoulders of his flowing white robes. His hypnotic voice spoke to her and she opened her eyes. Turning her head towards him, she smiled. Her dreamy eyes watched him draw near, her arms lifted in welcome as he sat on the edge of the bed. His hands covered hers and he pushed them back behind her head. Her sigh of protest which quickly became a guttural groan when his mouth descended on one aroused nipple, suckling and biting. While his mouth feasted, he trailed a hand down her body to stroke her engorged labia, moving slowly back and forth as her arousal eased the way for his long fingers. She arched her back, urging him to delve farther, deeper. He lifted his head and moved his glistening fingers to her mouth, urging her to taste herself. She clamped her free hand around his wrist and sucked his index finger deeply into her mouth. He threw his head back and closed his eyes, savouring the sensation. The girl grew bolder, swirling her pink tongue up and down the length of his fingers one by one. He held on to her head with his other hand, forcing her closer as if it was his cock she was servicing and not his hand. In a sudden movement, he let go of her and she fell back against the mattress. He flipped her over onto her stomach, lifting her hips to expose her body to him. With a flick of his wrists, his robes opened and he entered her. The girl cried out as his hands gripped her hips, although it was difficult to tell if from pleasure or pain. Maybe both.

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Oh shit. Helena Peters drew back farther into her hiding place behind the heavy drapes, fearful her laboured breathing and the loud thud of her heart would betray her presence. Well, she’d certainly gotten more than she’d bargained for. This assignment became more complicated all the time. She never figured she’d be required to become a voyeur when she accepted this gig. What started as an investigation into a cult leader’s financial dealings was getting more and more curious all the time. It appeared he was using sex to control his subjects. The methods he used to convince them to submit to him she had yet to find out. Intelligent, professional women were not only giving him control of their money, but of their bodies as well. He certainly was no prize, although some women may find his Nordic looks attractive. He congratulated himself, he was on a good wicket here. It made her sick to her stomach. She wished they’d hurry up and finish. Despite her objections to his methods of seduction, no one would ever be totally unaffected by watching a couple having sex. Hot, amazing, multiple-orgasm type of sex from the look and sound of it. Damn, it was uncomfortable listening to that. Sweat trickled down her neck and between her breasts, alerting her to the fact she was no saint. Thank God Dimitri wasn’t with her. Group voyeur sessions with the man of her dreams would not be a good thing. The fact he didn’t even think of her as anything other than a mate made that thought even more painful. Don’t even go there, girl! The moans and sighs eventually stopped and she heard the door quietly close. Peering around the edge of the drapes, she could see the girl lying on the bed alone and apparently asleep. The scent of sex hung heavily in the air and Helena wrinkled her nose. She couldn’t tell how deeply asleep the girl really was, but time was not a luxury she could afford. She needed to get out of there now so she could report to her partner. How was Dimitri going to react to this piece of news? Her opportunity came as the girl shifted in her sleep and turned away from the curtains. Helena slowly turned the handle and opened the French doors, slipping out into the night. Reaching the perimeter fence of the compound, she retrieved the rope she’d hidden under a pile of leaves and threw the grappling hook over the wall. A dog barked as she made it to the top of the fence and she heaved the rope up and out of sight before jumping down to

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the street outside. As she threw her gear into her backpack, a hand touched her shoulder. Shit. She reached for the gun she’d stored in the backpack, but the lightning-fast hand shifted and grabbed her wrist before she got the chance to open the zipper. A voice whispered in her ear, “Relax Hels, it’s just me.” She relaxed her muscles but then looked up at him in surprise and, oh yes, a moderate degree of annoyance. “Jesus, Dim, you scared the shit out of me. What the heck are you doing here?” He smiled. The one where the dimple on his left cheek showed. The one she dreamt about every night of her life. Hell, she was in real trouble now. He never gave her that moving-in-for-the-kill smile. “Checking up on you, you little hellcat.” His expression had now turned serious, more like a scowl even. The dimple disappeared, only to be replaced by a flickering muscle. She could see him gritting his teeth. Yeah, this was bad. “What the fuck were you doing, going into that compound on your own with no back up? You could have ruined the whole investigation. You could have got yourself killed. Of all the stupid…” She stood straight. All five-foot-four of her looked up at his six-foot-two frame and she wished for a stepladder to even the odds a little. “I wasn’t caught. Besides, I found some information relevant to the case.” He snorted so she ignored him. Reaching for her backpack, she started walking down the road towards her car. He grabbed her arm. “Hang on, we haven’t finished yet.” She glared at the strong hand restraining her, not wanting to betray the heat she was feeling, the heat she always felt any time he touched her, even accidentally. “If you want to get caught yakking outside the compound, go ahead. I’m going back to my place.” He released his hold but not his overpowering presence, choosing instead to fold his arms across his chest and block her path. “I suppose you’re right. Let’s get moving. I’ll follow you there. I want answers and they’d better be good. This is supposed to be a partnership, remember?” Helena held back a biting reference to the many times Dimitri had chosen to go off on his own. Instead, she shrugged. “I was going to call you when I got home to fill you in.” His dark eyebrows lifted. “Of course you were.”

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She smiled then. It was hard not to in his company. “Just like you call me when you do a bit of investigating on the side.” “That’s different.” “Yeah, well, we can debate this all night. Let’s get out of here. I’ll see you at my place. Bring doughnuts.” “Glazed?” He chuckled. It was a private joke between them. Television cops always ate donuts so they tried their damnedest to keep up the stereotype. Besides, she loved Krispy Kremes and the factory near Sydney airport was on the way to her place in Mascot. It was his turn to buy anyway. She looked over her shoulder at him as she headed for the car. “Is the Pope Catholic?”

**** The man who called himself the Dream Master closed his laptop and placed it into the open drawer of his desk. Smiling, he closed the drawer, making sure it was locked properly before pocketing the key. Another hundred thousand dollars transferred to his numbered bank account. So easy. Like taking candy from a baby, as the saying went. This was the best gig he’d ever pulled off. A soft knock on his office door stopped his reverie. Quickly resuming his adopted persona, he called out to the person waiting. “Enter.” A woman sauntered into the room. Her white robes matched his and her long red hair was fastened in a braid, coiled around her head like a crown. She walked over to the sideboard beside the desk and poured herself a shot of French brandy. “Lydia. What do you want?” She ignored his question and sipped her drink before moving to the couch by the wall to sit. “So did you enjoy your little interlude with that floozy?” He laughed, raking a hand through his bleached hair. “Jealous, my love?” He sidled over to stand in front of her, taking the glass from her hand and placing it on the side table. In one swift movement, he pulled her upright and ripped her robes open. She was naked underneath the cloth and he wasted no time cupping her breasts, pinching her nipples

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between his fingers. He slid his hands around to her buttocks then pulled her closer to the bulge in his crotch and thrust his hips forward, rubbing against her pussy. Her head fell backwards and she gasped. “At least you have no need of drugs to fuck me, Johnny…” Without warning, he let her go and shoved her back against the couch in the process. “Don’t ever call me that name again. While we are here, I am Morpheus, the Dream Master. Don’t ever forget it!” She scrambled to stand again and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m sorry…Morpheus. I forgot myself.” Planting small kisses along his jaw line, she moved a hand to his cock, rubbing back and forth along his length. He broke away and gripped her chin, forcing her to look directly into his eyes. “Remember what is at stake here, Lydia. You will not make that mistake again. Do we understand each other?” She nodded meekly and he shoved her away. She quickly pulled her robes over her naked breasts and hurried for the door. “Lydia?” She turned back, her hand shakily gripping the doorknob, her eyes cast downward. “Yes, Morpheus. We understand each other very well.”

**** Thank God she had some extra time to herself before Dimitri arrived with the doughnuts. Racing into her bathroom, Helena turned on the cold tap. Freezing water should to do the trick. She needed to be cool, calm and collected by the time he got there. It was going to be difficult enough telling him about the little scene she’d witnessed, but a hint of heat and a glimpse of that twinkle in his eyes and she’d be back behind the drapes, thinking all over again about doing the wild thing with him. She knew it was never going to happen. Not in this lifetime. She smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand. Snap out of it! The coffee was almost ready by the time Dimitri arrived a few minutes later and let himself in. Helena had given him a key a few months after they became partners and she had a key to his place. It was handy if either of them needed something picked up, and well, it sure saved having to get the door with a couple of steaming mugs in her hands.

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“Hels?” “In the kitchen.” She pulled out her napkin caddie and put it under her arm before picking up both mugs and moving towards the door. Dimitri met her halfway and took the caddy and his own cup from her hands then waved her ahead of him. The white box of doughnuts was already on the coffee table, so she sat in her favourite armchair and put her coffee down on the end table, leaving the couch for Dim to slouch all over like he usually did. This time, however, he opted to sit upright on the couch and propped his elbows on his thighs. It was way past time for a haircut as a tuft of nearly black hair fell over his forehead, obstructing her view of the normally warm-as-chocolate eyes. At a guess, they were a few degrees short of freezing right now and as black as pitch, if his rigid demeanour was anything to go by. In an attempt to divert him from his tightly leashed anger, she leant forward and opened the box, quickly extracting a doughnut. The sticky sweetness was heaven on her tongue and she closed her eyes, moaning her appreciation. “Oh yeah, better than sex…” Dimitri’s head shot up and he laughed out loud. “Not getting any, huh?” The diversion worked, but not the way she wanted it to. Her pale skin let her down again as she felt the whoosh of heat from her neck to the roots of her hair. “None of your beeswax!” Even if it was true, no one would ever hear her admit it. It wasn’t something she discussed, which was why she was the target of many a rumour and endless teasing around the station. It usually didn’t bother her all that much, but she was still suffering the aftereffects of that little show she’d seen earlier. “Aw, Hels. Sorry mate. I didn’t mean to embarrass you, but shit. You did leave yourself open for that one.” He sat back on the couch and threw her a sheepish grin. She picked up the coffee and gulped down a sip, almost choking on it as a spasm of coughing assailed her. Dimitri jumped up and whacked her on the back, almost toppling her out of her chair. With one last splutter, she shoved his arm away. “I’m okay now. Or I will be if you stop beating the crap out of my back.” He backed off, lifting his hands up in defeat. “Hey, it worked when my brother did it for me when we were kids.”

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She cricked her neck, working out the kinks his drubbing had caused. “Well, that explains a lot.” “Ha!” He shook his head and sat back on the couch, picking up a doughnut. “Okay, enough. Time to get down to business. What did you find out?” “Let’s summarise what we know and then I’ll add my latest intel. You first.” “Fair enough.” He swallowed the doughnut in two bites and licked his fingers. Oh shit. “Get on with it, Dim.” “Okay, here’s what we know.” His expression turned serious as he picked up his coffee. “Morpheus, aka the Dream Master, is running a scam, luring lonely, vulnerable people— mostly women—into his so called ‘happiness’ movement. His followers turn their backs on friends, families and jobs and before they can say ‘How ya going?’ their bank accounts are suspiciously empty.” “Yes, and until now, we haven’t been able to pin anything illegal on him.” Dimitri moved forward on the couch. “So what did you find out?” He cocked his head to the side as he looked over at her. “Just so you know…I’m still pissed at you for going in on your own, Hels, but if you’ve found out anything that will help the investigation, now’s the time to spill it.” She just had to look away. To look in his direction now would bring on another round of red faces, and enough was enough. She could do it. No problem. How hard could it be to describe the scene she’d seen at the Dream Master’s compound? Okay, deep breath, Helena. “Well?” He was staring at her now. She could feel his eyes boring into her face, waiting for her to talk to him. She sucked in a deep breath and blew it out slowly. She couldn’t put it off any longer. “I found out how he gains control of the women.” “How?” She stood and walked over to the window, her arms wrapped around her middle. “He’s using sex.”

****

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Dimitri tried to read his partner’s face as their captain outlined their assignment. Hels must be as freaked out as he was, but for the life of him, he couldn’t see any sign of it. The orders were to go undercover in the Dream Master’s, posing as a couple searching for the key to happiness. Since her revelation about Morpheus’ methods, she must have known there was a chance they would have to do some heavy-duty playacting to look the part. It shouldn’t be too hard since they were such great buds. She wasn’t beautiful in the classic sense, but she was attractive in her own way. He trusted her completely and was pretty sure she trusted him too, but still, it was a bit disconcerting. The slight tic in a small muscle near her eye was his first warning she wasn’t as controlled as she pretended. “You can’t be serious, Boss.” Her face turned the dark shade of red it always did when she was riled up. “Dim and I can’t pose as lovers. We’re cops, for God’s sake.” She whirled around to face him, her eyes pleading for him to intervene. He couldn’t. It was a damn good idea and probably their best bet to catch this bastard. “Aw, c’mon Hels.” He smiled at her, trying to ease her worry. “It won’t be too bad. You know I’m housebroken.” She glared at him before turning back to the captain. “It’ll affect our working relationship which means we can’t do our job if that happens. There has to be another way.” Captain Richards closed the file in front of him and sat back in his chair. “This is the only way, Peters, and you know it. Consider it an order.” “But, Boss—” The captain held up his hand, blocking her reply. “No buts. You and Dim make a great team and I expect you both to act professionally. Got it?” They both stood, knowing when the boss meant business. Dimitri got in first with a reply, “Yep.” The captain stared at Helena. “Peters?” She nodded, clearly unhappy but there was no other choice. “Yes, sir.” Helena moved out the door and stormed down the corridor to her desk. She grabbed her bag and headed for the back entrance. Dimitri chased after her and jumped in the passenger seat of her Corolla as she fired up the ignition. “What the fuck are you doing in my car?” she said through clenched teeth. “We should talk about this, Hels.”

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“We will. Later. Right now I want to spend some time on my own to get my head around this. Now get out of my car!” Her face was no longer red. In fact, it was a pale shade of green. Did posing as lovers really affect her that way? “Does the thought of pretending to get it on with me worry you that much, kiddo?” She turned her head away from him and stared out the window at a couple of rookies walking past in their squeaky-clean, new uniforms. He waited. After a little while, she turned back to face him again, looking a little better than a few seconds before. At least her colour had improved. She gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles turning white. “It’s not that, Dim. I’m just not very experienced with all that stuff. I’m not sure I can be convincing.” He let out a sigh of relief. Was that all it was? “Okay, we can deal with that. Let’s go get some coffee while we come up with a game plan.” She shrugged and looked behind her before reversing out of the parking place. “I suppose we can’t afford to muck around with this. Andre’s?” “Nah, we need to keep this conversation private. How about your place?” Maybe she’ll relax more on her own turf. They could do this, he was sure of it. All he had to do was to get her to relax and remind himself she was his partner, not his current girlfriend. It could get messy otherwise. Once they sat in her living room, Dimitri rethought his idea that being in her apartment would help her relax. Helena sat with her legs curled up tightly beneath her and was looking around the room—anywhere but at his face. Shit. He had to do something to break the ice or they’d get nowhere with this investigation. She was really stressed out about this. He needed to show her how easy it could be before she really freaked out. Rising, he walked over to her chair and stood in front of her. She looked up at him, her eyes wary. “What are you doing, Dim?” “Put down your cup, Hels.” She unfurled her legs and reached over to place her cup on the table. Here was his chance and he wasn’t going to waste it. In a quick move, he hooked his hands under her armpits, pulled her to her feet and swooped down on her mouth.

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She twisted and attempted to turn away, but he placed his hands on either side of her head, holding her firmly in place. He traced her lips with his tongue and she gasped. At the unexpected opening, he invaded her mouth, exploring every crevice, thrusting deeper and deeper. Oh God, she tastes so good. Her hands slid up to his shoulders and she squeezed gently, drawing him closer to her. Her hair smelt of strawberries, a scent he suddenly found incredibly alluring. Sparks between them well and truly ignited a heat he never, ever expected. Shit, this is Hels. She moaned as he angled his head to taste more. He sucked in her sweet breath, groaning when she unconsciously wriggled her body against his straining jeans. What the fuck am I doing? He couldn’t be getting a hard on? Not with Hels. She’s his partner, his buddy. They were just practicing for the mission. Fuck. Pushing gently on her shoulders, he broke their lip lock. His erratic breathing made speech fairly impossible, so he just stared at her face, trying to figure out what happened. She stared back, those beautiful indigo eyes shining with arousal. Damn, where did that thought come from? He’d never noticed how beautiful they were before. And he’d never noticed them aroused before. Shit. This is Hels. He dragged his gaze from hers and pushed her gently away. She landed with a small bounce on the couch across the other side of the coffee table as he backed up a few steps. His hand shook as he raked his fingers through his hair before smiling at her stunned expression. “I guess we now know we can be convincing.”

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Chapter Two

Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God! Helena sank back on to her armchair and sucked furiously for air. Breathe, dammit, breathe. Dimitri shifted forward on the couch, leaning towards her. “Are you okay, Hels?” Okay? O-kay? She’d never be the same again. The man she’d been in love with for the last five years just gave her a big toe-curling kiss. A kiss to end all kisses. A mind-blowing, wet panties, hot and shivery at the same time sort of kiss. “Helena?” “Huh?” Oh shit. He’s talking to me. “Ah, yes. I’m fine. You took me by surprise there for a minute, partner.” She blew out a long breath. Coffee, she needed another coffee. Anything. She had to get out of the room before she exploded. Somehow, she managed to stand and stumble into the kitchen. Damn, she’d left her cup in the lounge. What the heck, she’d live dangerously and get another one. The kettle boiled as she piled the instant coffee in. Jeez, I’d better get Dimitri one too. She shakily reached for another cup. How was she going to play this? Should she act like nothing momentous happened? Dimitri must have thought the same thing judging by his regular smile when he took the coffee from her hand. Just the job. Yeah, right. Like she could forget what just happened. Where were the Men in Black and their Neuralyzer when you needed them? Dimitri sipped his coffee and stared at her as she settled in the armchair. Their eyes connected for just a second. She was the first to break contact, shifting her line of vision to her cup and grasping it as if her life depended on it. He seemed to take forever to break the silence. What was taking him so long? Well, she decided she wasn’t going to be the first to talk. She could wait all night if she had to. Surreptitiously peeking, she tried valiantly not to move her head and tip him off that she was checking him out. He was leaning forward with his head cocked to the side, effectively looking straight into her eyes. Damn, he caught her. “Gotcha!” Dimitri lay back on the couch and roared with laughter. Kill me now. Okay, time for the buddy/little sister act. The vase on the side table was looking mighty tempting, but that would be just wrong. Nah…she wouldn’t. She couldn’t.

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Oh yes, she could. She stood, swooped at the vase, throwing the flowers on the floor with one hand while aiming the liquid contents for Dimitri’s head. Bulls-eye. “Shit. Jesus, Hels, I’m all wet!” He jumped off the couch and wiped the water off his face with his hands, shaking the drips onto the floor. “What the fuck was that for?” She laughed at his comically surprised expression, throwing him a pile of napkins from the coffee table. Cool bananas. She’d successfully diffused the situation. “You had it coming arse-hole. You were laughing at me, you sleazy bastard!” He threw the sodden paper towels on the table and headed towards her. “I can’t let that one slide. No one throws water at me and gets away with it.” The corners of his mouth kicked up as he loomed closer, his fists clenched by his sides. She backed away, bumping into her chair. He continued to prowl towards her with vengeance in his eyes. Instinctively, she changed direction, moving sideways around the chair and towards the bedroom. If she was quick enough, she could lock herself in her en suite. “Stay back, Dim. I mean it!” Obviously, he didn’t hear her, or chose to ignore her. Instead, he closed the gap and reached out to grab her. “No way, kiddo, you’re mine!” His hands slipped off her shoulders as she high-tailed it to her bedroom, shouldering the door to close it before he followed her in. She never got the chance as he shoved the door open in one move, throwing her backwards across the short space to her bed. He landed on top of her and captured her hands, thrusting them above her head before he secured them with one of his hands. Her heart roared with a thunderous beat as her breath left her lungs in a rush. She could feel his ragged breathing whispering across her face and the scent of his ohso-manly aftershave made her dizzy. Issey Miyake Pour Homme. Her favourite. Ever since she smelt it on him, that is. No one ever smelt as good as Dimitri. He stared at her and she stared back. Their urgent panting synchronised as their two bodies moved closer. Her heart missed a beat as he moved his face closer to hers. Quivers of pleasure spread from her mouth to her very core as they touched. This was no gentle kiss. He devoured her, sucking on her bottom lip to gain entrance. She joined in the dance as their tongues tangled and stroked, dipping in and out, back and forth, until she almost fainted from the pleasure.

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He moved on from her mouth and trailed wet, open-mouthed kisses along her jaw to the curve of her neck. I must be dreaming. But this was definitely no dream. She felt him use his free hand to deftly open the buttons of her shirt and continue his heated path to her breasts. When she arched her back, pressing her chest closer to his mouth, he let go of her hands and shoved her bra upwards, freeing her heaving breasts. When his hot mouth covered an engorged nipple, she almost went into meltdown. Hot liquid gushed between her legs as he claimed her other breast then replaced his mouth with his hands, kneading gently. Shit. This is too much! Peering down at his head, she saw him take her jeans button in his mouth and open it with his teeth. She laughed. She couldn’t help herself. He looked up, smiling at her. “One of my many tricks.” “It’s a pretty impressive one—ooh…” The zipper of her fly went down in one swift flick of his finger and his clever tongue licked a trail along the skin beneath, sending sparks of sensation to her abdominal muscles which contracted at the sudden invasion of her senses. “That’s a good one too…” He chuckled, his voice taking on a husky tone. “I aim to please.” Before Helena had time to reply or think, or do anything at all, Dimitri gripped her jeans with both hands and pulled them down her legs, leaving them bunched up around her ankles, effectively trapping her. “Dim?” In response, her panties joined her jeans. He smoothed his hands along the length of her legs to her upper thighs and beyond, ending back at her breasts. His mouth hovered over hers and her breathing stopped. His eyes were like melted chocolate as he stared into hers, silently questioning, seeking permission to continue. “I have condoms in my drawer.” His relieved sigh made her heart jump. “Are you sure about this, Hels?” She nodded. Nothing and no one was going to stop this now. She’d dreamt of it for so long. So what if it was just a practice session for the mission. She’d deal with that later. “I want you to fuck me.” He didn’t speak as he yanked her drawer open, rummaging for the foil packets. He flashed her a boyish grin and pulled out three.

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Holy shit. She offered her hand to take one but he shook his head. “Nuh-uh. Not so fast gorgeous. I have plans for you first.” He placed the condoms next to the pillow and resumed his hot path down her body. He called me gorgeous. How could she resist when he called her that? Of course, he probably called all his women the same thing, but she wasn’t complaining. Here, right at this very moment, she felt gorgeous. If he wanted to call her that—so be it. She shivered in anticipation of his ‘plans’. Or was it the hot, wet kisses and the sensitive areas he was heading for that had her nerve endings standing up and paying attention? “You are so hot, babe. I want to taste you everywhere.” Dimitri pushed her thighs apart and bent her knees to allow for the jeans encasing her ankles. He tongued his way from the sensitive area behind her knee while he teased her folds open with his fingers, finding her most sensitive spot just above her vagina. “Oh God, you have to fuck me now!” “I will babe. I’ll fuck your brains out. Just not yet…” he teased, getting closer to where all the action was. Holy hell. She gasped as he thrust a finger inside her, quickly followed by another two, stretching her. Preparing her. “Dim. Please…” “Not yet sweetheart…” His mouth descended on her clitoris and she came in a rush of swirling lights and colours, thrashing her head from side to side as he held her hips in place, diligently continuing his tasting exercise. Her body was in pleasure mode, the likes of which she’d never felt before. “Yes, yes, that’s it, beautiful,” he rasped as he lapped her juices. “ Flow for me…” The spasms of her climax went on and on while he continued torturing her with his clever tongue. When she felt the quivers begin to subside, Dimitri reached for a condom. She snatched it from his hands and ripped it open with her teeth before passing it back to him. He smiled down at her. That dimpled smile that made her heart clench with emotion. If this was the only time she had with Dimitri, she would never, ever regret it. It was too special. When he rose above her and entered, the tears started. The intense pleasure of his magnificent cock inside her was almost too much to bear. She knew he’d had thousands of girlfriends, but this was the first time she found herself thanking them. Thanking them all for

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giving him the practice to be this good. Oh boy, was he good. She reached for his head and pulled him to her mouth, kissing him with as much passion she could muster. He moved with her, in and out, in a slow, steady rhythm that stimulated that very sensitive spot with every thrust. The tempo increased as they moved in unison, magnifying the sensation and intensifying the pleasure. The game continued on and on while they pushed each other over the precipice, shouting out their release together. Dimitri slumped on top of her, careful to take his weight with his elbows whilst at the same time hugging her close. She smiled to herself as he planted a gentle kiss on her cheek and found herself relaxing into a dreamless sleep. Tomorrow would take care of itself. For now, life was good.

**** Dimitri woke to the feel of something soft cuddling his chest. He smelt strawberries and smiled. Oh yeah. Hels. Who would’ve known? He nuzzled her hair and tightened his grip, pulling her closer so he could feel her naked breasts against his chest. He was hard…and ready to use those other condoms, but first, he had to see if Hels was willing. What a revelation. He’d never once thought of her as anything other than a partner and a friend. He’d told her about his girlfriends, for Christ’s sake. The last thing he’d ever expected was to end up in her bed, but here he was, willing and able to go the next round. She looked so beautiful in her sleep, with her long dark hair all mussed up and curling around her face. He stroked a finger across her cheek to move a stray curl out of her eye. She sighed and snuggled closer to him, moving her hand across his chest, resting it just below his shoulder. He inhaled sharply as a wave of heat spread rapidly though his body. Well, fuck me. He hadn’t been this horny for a long time. In fact, at the moment, it didn’t matter how long ago it had been, he had the hots for Hels and he had them bad. Hels. Shit, this was Hels. Hels, his mate…his partner. What the fuck was he thinking? That’s just it. He thought with the wrong part of his anatomy. He’d have to get with the programme and soon. The upcoming mission meant they’d be getting pretty cosy twentyfour-seven, so he’d better make sure he kept his cool. Jeez, what did Hels think about all of this? He’d better play it cool. They needed to focus on the investigation and not get

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distracted by the sex. Damn it though, it was great sex. He slapped his forehead with his fist. Get a grip, man! Helena rolled onto her back and opened her eyes. She looked confused for a few seconds then smiled shyly. “You are here. So it wasn’t a dream.” She shuffled up the bed, clasping the sheet close over those delicious breasts and in the process made them stand out rather than hide them like she was trying to. He couldn’t help but look and she caught him perving. She blushed from the tip of her head down to below the sheets. At least it answered his question about how far the blushes went. The only problem now was that his dick was as hard as a steel rod, and if he didn’t move, she’d see just how good his anatomy was at defying gravity. Seeing her like this, so sweet and vulnerable, he knew he had to pull away emotionally from her before it was too late. The sex had to stay as a means to catch Morpheus at his game. Everything else had to wait. What that ‘everything’ was he had no idea, but he was sure of one thing. After last night, their relationship would never be the same again. He sat up and turned away from her, reaching for his boxers and hoping like hell he could make it to the bathroom without her noticing how turned on he was. A cold shower should do the trick. That and a lot of willpower. Down, boy. “No, it wasn’t a dream, kiddo. But we sure know now we can fool the Dream Master. Great job, partner. We should be good to go on our plan ahead of schedule.” That’s it, Dimitri, play it cool. He waited to hear her reaction before standing. It didn’t come immediately, but he thought he heard a faint intake of breath. Oh God, he didn’t want to hurt her. She was the best friend he’d ever had and a damn good partner. He couldn’t screw that up. Not now when they needed to work together on this case. After it was over, he’d rethink. Maybe they could change partners and pursue what was happening, but for now… “Yeah, we sure did. Good thing we know the truth, eh, Dim?” He turned his head sharply. “The truth?” She laughed although she didn’t sound like she meant it. “Yes, the fact that it’s all an act. It is all an act, isn’t it?” He stood and headed to the bathroom, calling out behind him, “Yeah, a pretty damn fine one if you ask me.” He closed the door and leant back against it, relieved he’d escaped so

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easily. So far so good. Now if he could just convince his dick that everything was just an act, he’d be laughing. Yeah, right!

**** “You ready to roll, Ellen Finn?” asked Dimitri as they drove the rental car through the gates of the compound a week later. The heavy metal gates slipped back across the driveway entrance as the car cleared the entrance. Helena flinched as they slammed shut. Sure, why not? All she had to do was remember their cover stories, convince a madman she and Dim were a hot and heavy couple, while at the same time make the man next to her believe it was all an act. “As ready as I’ll ever be, Nick Carides. Let’s do it.” As they pulled up at the front of the mansion, a guard walked up to the car and opened the door for Helena to get out. Another guard went to the boot of the car and opened it, pulled out their luggage and loaded it onto a trolley. Helena exchanged an enquiring look with Dimitri, but the slight shake of his head warned her to let it go. The equipment they’d brought with them was in her hand luggage disguised as cosmetics, so there was nothing to be found in the suitcases. She smiled at the men and thanked them for their help while Dimitri made his way to her side and wrapped his arm over her shoulder, giving her an adoring look. “When can we see Morpheus?” he asked as they were ushered inside the building into the opulent foyer. “The Master will see you at four o’clock. We are to take you to your rooms now.” Dimitri’s brow lifted in surprise. “Rooms? As in plural?” The first guard who was leading the way to the staircase continued, “The Master wishes all his guests to sleep alone. It helps with the process of enlightenment to spend time in solitude.” “No,” said Helena, shaking her head. “There must be some mistake. My boyfriend and I always share a room.” “We all follow the Master’s rules here, or we leave.”

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Dimitri took hold of her hand and squeezed it as they walked up the stairs, the other guard bringing up the rear. “Honey, we want to find the true path to happiness, don’t we? We can spend some time apart for a little while, can’t we?” She looked at him and he winked at her, his dimple showing again. She tried to give him a confident smile and hoped it fooled the guards. “I suppose so. We did agree to give the Dream Master a try.” She looked up at the ceiling and spied a closed circuit camera following their every move. When she looked at Dimitri, she saw he’d caught it too. They’d expected CCTV cameras and probably bugs too, but they hadn’t counted on separate rooms. It was going to be difficult getting together to compare notes on what they’d learned, but on the other hand, maybe they wouldn’t need to have sex to prove they were a legitimate couple. It should have been a relief, but all Helena felt was a loss she knew was totally inappropriate, especially given that they had their lives in their hands if the rumours of weapons in the compound were true. They had their work cut out for them as it was, but they both knew what they had to do. Cooperate with Morpheus, gain his trust and the trust of his followers, and in the process, get enough evidence to prove a case of fraud and firearms charges against him at a minimum. Of course, they also had to cover each other's butts. That was going to be difficult now they were being separated. The first guard stopped at a door close to the top of the stairs and opened the door. He gestured with his hand to Dimitri. “Your room, Mr. Carides. Kindly point out your luggage.” Dimitri took his bag from the guard and walked into the room. “I will return for you when it is time to meet the Master,” said the guard as he closed the door and continued down the corridor. The room Helena was shown to was as far away from Dimitri as it could possibly be. The guard led her down to the end of a corridor two flights of stairs away from the floor where they’d left Dimitri. He opened the door for her and she gasped. Before her was a vision of sensuality. A room made for sex. Like the room she’d hidden in when she was here before, it held a fourposter bed. The covers were white satin with contrasting black cushions. Black filmy gauze hung from a chrome ring attached high up on the far wall. The ceiling itself was a series of mirror tiles, each magnifying the image in the adjacent one. Images of magnified body parts,

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skin writhing against skin, flashed across her mind. The hot flush that automatically rose was disconcerting, especially since the guard was watching her face. Slowly looking around her, she saw several paintings adorn the stark, white walls. Each portrayed a nude couple, each in a different position, and each in the throes of passion. Oh God. If she and Dim were to be kept separated, why was this room done up like a high priced bordello? Warning bells rang in her head. Surely she wasn’t expected to have sex with Morpheus? She jumped in surprise as the guard dropped her suitcase onto the floor. “Someone will call for you at four o’clock. Please do not leave your room until then,” he said as he prepared to leave. “It’s still morning. What am I supposed to do until then?” He turned back and looked at her. He smiled, although it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “The Master has arranged some preparations for you. I assure you, you will enjoy them and not be bored.” Before she could respond, he left the room and closed the door softly behind him. Helena immediately grabbed her cosmetics bag, opened the double doors to what she presumed was the bathroom. Holy Cow! It had to be the Taj Mahal of bathrooms. She’d thought the bedroom was huge, but this room was almost the same size. You could fit six bathtubs in the space and still have room for more. The centrepiece of the room held the largest sunken bath she’d ever seen. A black and white marble platform surrounded a deep octagonal spa bath and a bench seat circled the inside surface. Fragrant, steamy water trickled into the bath from the faucet that was actually the penis of a rather well-endowed statue. “What the…?” A young girl appeared from an unnoticed alcove and bowed her head as she started talking. “Welcome, Miss Finn. My name is Erica. I have prepared a bath for you.” Helena noted the Greek style garment that was barely covering the girl’s body, and also the subservient pose she took with her head bowed, her voice soft and hesitant. “I didn’t order a bath.”

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Erica flinched, but her head remained lowered. “The Master insists, Miss Finn,” she said in a now-shaky voice. “All newcomers are to bathe so they can remove the imprint of the outside world. It is the rule.” Helena didn’t want to get the girl into trouble and supposed it would look suspicious if she didn’t cooperate. She hadn’t had a chance to search for bugs or cameras yet and it would be impossible to do that while the girl was in the room. “Okay. Why not? I love a good soak.” Erica visibly relaxed. She tilted her face up a fraction to reveal beautiful but frightened blue eyes. Helena estimated her age to be no more than eighteen. What the hell was the girl doing here? Erica shuffled over to Helena and reached for her cosmetics bag. Helena held her hand up and gripped the bag tightly. “What are you doing? This is my personal stuff!” The girl retreated and bowed her head once more. “I am sorry, Miss Finn. I only wish to assist you with your bath.” “I can manage by myself.” “But the Master insists that I help you. It is part of the cleansing process.” This ‘Master’ sure does a lot of insisting. There wasn’t much she could do other than comply. The last thing she wanted was any alarm bells going off just yet. She just hoped there weren’t any cameras in the bathroom. Truthfully though, that was probably asking too much.

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Chapter Three

Dimitri paced back and forth across the room. For the umpteenth time, he looked at his watch and wondered yet again how Hels was doing. He’d found at least three bugs and two cameras in his room. The bathroom seemed to be free of bugs, but he was fairly certain there was a camera in the vent above the shower. Dirty bastards. What do they think this place is? Big Brother? He slammed his fist in to his palm as he imagined punching the lights out of anyone who even thought about watching Hels in the shower. No one did that but him. He stopped dead in his tracks. Shit. Where the fuck had that thought come from? Of course he knew exactly where it came from. It came from that night a week ago when he and Hels had had the best damn sex in living history. He was having a shit of a time getting that night out of his mind, but he had to do it. No distractions until after the mission was over. The success of the mission and Helena’s safety depended on it. Anyway, it appeared she had forgotten all about it, if her behaviour over the last week was anything to go by. What was with that? She behaved as if nothing had happened at all. Everything was business as usual. She didn’t even blush when they had strategy meetings with the boss about how they might have to simulate sex. Simulate? Bugger that. No way could he hide his reactions now. All he had to do was think about her lush curves and that silken skin and he was stiff as a board. Oh man… He moved over to the window and pulled the curtains aside to look down over the courtyard. No sign of any life out there. Maybe all the followers were confined to their rooms like he and Hels were. Deprivation was a recognised method of mind control, and at the moment, it was doing its job pretty damn well. He was edgy as hell and it was still at least an hour before he had his audience with Morpheus. In retrospect, he should have stayed longer in the bath the young girl had insisted he take when he’d arrived. It must have been part of the initiation ritual; that part wasn’t too hard to take. The water had some sort of softener in it and the smell was amazing. He’d almost fallen asleep lying in the tub as he dreamt about

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making love with Hels. If he had too many more of those baths, he’d have no trouble at all getting it on with her. Wait. The bath…of course. It would explain his almost constant erection since he’d been in his room. That and the silky robes he’d been ordered to wear which kept rubbing against his dick. Some sort of aphrodisiac must have been added to the water. Maybe even a drug designed to be inhaled through the vapour. Why else would he have lost control? Sure, he’d been horny all last week, but at least he’d been able to keep it at bay. Now all he felt was a hard on the size of a lead pipe and just as stiff. He should have expected something like this. They knew Morpheus was using sex to control his followers, but they’d all thought the drugs used would be in the food or drinks. He and Helena were given instructions on how to avoid the drugs and also carried antidotes with them in case they were caught unawares. Never once had they thought about inhaling the drugs. Bloody hell…what was Hels doing now? Morpheus had better not be visiting her after one of those baths. At least Dimitri had been able to convince the girl who’d prepared the bath to leave him alone. She was pretty pissed he wouldn’t let her stay. Now he knew why. She was supposed to encourage his sexual arousal. Yeah, she was pretty, but for some reason, she just didn’t do it for him. His mind had been on Hels the whole time. Waiting was hell. Now he’d figured out his hard on was drug induced, he had to get it under control. Checking his watch once more, he made his way back to the bathroom and a cold shower.

**** Helena couldn’t remember the last time someone had bathed her. It would have been her mother since no one else ever got that close to her. The scalp massage Erica was giving her was one of the most relaxing and arousing experiences of her life. When she closed her eyes, she ceased to be where she was. It was Dim who sensuously moved his hands through her hair. It was Dim who whispered in her ear that she was beautiful. It was Dim who moved his hands over her shoulders and down her arms, sending tingles along the surface of her skin. The longer she lay in the warm, soothing water, the more her muscles relaxed and the more aroused she became. The whirlpool lapped against her breasts, teasing her nipples and

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reminding her of the warmth of Dim’s tongue as he laved them. Gushes of water made their way between her legs and her clitoris enlarged to greet the warm flow. Oh yes…Dim… “Miss?” a voice said in the distance. A hand shook her shoulder. “What?” She shook her head, reluctant to break the spell. “Miss Finn, I need to dress you now. It’s time to leave the bath.” “Dress? Leave?” Helena’s eyes opened wide. Holy shit. What was that all about? She shook her head in a vain attempt to rid the fuzziness that enveloped her brain. She jerked upright, splashing water every which way, and grabbed the small hand rails either side of her to stop from slipping under the water. “Be careful, Miss Finn. You must keep you essence calm. Allow the bath to continue to free you inner self. It is necessary. The Master will know if you have not been properly prepared.” Helena lay back in the water and took a deep breath. Okay now…in, out. That’s it Helena. You can do this. Get a grip girl, Morpheus can’t get suspicious of you. At least not yet. “Sorry, Erica. I was in a dream world there for a while. Give me a few more seconds and then I’ll get out. Can you pass me that towelling robe I saw hanging in the dressing room please?” Erica bowed then shuffled backwards before turning to walk to the dressing room across the large expanse of marble tiles. Helena couldn’t understand why the girl continued to be nervous. She would have loved to question her, but until she had a chance to check out where the bugs and cameras were hidden, she didn’t dare. Hopefully, she would have time to do a search after her meeting with Morpheus. After all, she had to be left alone some time. Right now, she needed to cool down. The state of arousal the bath had induced had not quite receded. If she could stop thinking about Dim and last week, then she’d be fine. She forced herself to concentrate really hard and tried to remember all the occasions they acted like buddies, teasing and poking fun at each other. And covering each other's backs. Nah, that wasn’t going to work. She’d fallen in love with him anyway. Shit. Back to being the coldfaced bitch of last week. Her cheek would never be the same again; she’d bitten it so many times in an effort to show a controlled face. It must have worked. Dim hadn’t brought up that night at all, not even once. Why should he? It was only a practice session, after all. He’d confirmed that. Besides, what would he see in mousey ol’ Hels?

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Viciously turning on the cold water, she splashed her face and breasts with it. Fuck. She needed that, but God, it was really, really cold. Damn. She pulled herself together and turned it off just in time as Erica returned with the robe. The girl held the robe up, sheltering Helena’s body and preserving her privacy as she climbed out of the bath. She tied the robe tightly around her middle and went into the dressing room to look for her clothes. They weren’t there and her suitcase was empty. What the—? “We all wear the robes when we are in the Master’s presence. Your clothes will be returned when you leave.” Oh great. No clothes and separation from her partner. This gig just got better and better. “What about underwear? I’d rather wear my own.” “We have provided new under-things for you.” Erica pulled out a drawer and gestured to the pile of silken material inside. “Nothing from the outside world is to touch the skin of the Master’s guests.” Helena’s mouth went dry when she saw the lingerie. They were mere strips of silk and lace that would barely cover a postage stamp. She flushed at the thought of Dim seeing her in any of these pieces while they were in actor mode. Holy shit. “Please choose so I may prepare your skin.” “What? What do you mean?” “I must soften your skin with cream before you don the robes. It is the rule.” More rules. No wonder people gave him their money. It must be the only way to get him to stop bossing them around. Okay then. Again, she had no choice. It was either cooperate or blow the case. After choosing a matching cream silk camisole and knickers, she removed the robe and turned away from Erica. “Do your worst!” She didn’t know what she was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t the incredible sensations that enveloped her skin as Erica gently rubbed in the cream. Its heady scent filled her nostrils and the sensuous movement of Erica’s firm hands was like nothing she had ever experienced before. When those hands moved over her breasts and tweaked her nipples, she gasped and closed her eyes tightly, biting her bottom lip. The sensation was like dousing in a cool shower then turning up the heat. Her skin burned with sensations both cool and hot. As

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those clever hands moved down to her buttocks and down her legs, she moaned in pleasure. What was happening to her? She’d never been touched this way by a woman before and had never been that way inclined, but here she was getting off on it. It had to be the cream. It must have a concoction in it that heightened her senses. That had to be it. Before she could regain her composure, she was dressed in the flowing silk robes. The swish of material rubbed against her already aroused nipples and inner thighs, renewing all those sensations from a few minutes before. “Is there any iced water? I’m burning up here.” Erica gave a submissive bow again and made to leave, but Helena couldn’t let her do it again. She placed her hand under the girl’s chin and lifted her face to look directly into the girl's terrified eyes. “Hey, relax.” She let her go but kept the eye contact. “I just wanted to say you don’t need to bow in my presence. In fact, I insist you don’t.” “But I must, miss. The Master would be angry with me if I don’t.” “What about when we are alone? I would prefer it if you look at me when I talk to you.” Erica turned away from her and started to move again. “I’m sorry, miss, but I cannot. The Master will know. He knows all that happens here.” She poured Helena a glass of water from a jug sitting on a side table in the bedroom. “Here is your water. I must go now. Someone will come for you shortly to take you to see the Master.” As Helena took a sip of the cold water, Erica slipped out the door and closed it silently. I can’t wait.

**** The big guy she assumed was a bodyguard of some sort opened the ornately carved door and ushered Helena inside. The room she entered oozed money, the decor a mixture of English and Chinese antiques. She looked around her but there was no sign of Dimitri, or anyone else for that matter. This was not good. The bodyguard followed her into the room and gestured for her to sit on one of the leather chesterfield couches facing the fireplace.

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As she took her place on the seat, she spoke to the guard. “Where is Mr. Carides?” “The Master wishes to talk to you alone first. Your friend will be joining you soon.” “But—” She didn’t get any further as the guard turned around and exited the room without another word. She leapt out of her chair and ran to the door, turning the handle. Shit. Locked. “Going somewhere, Miss Finn?” Fuck. Morpheus. She stilled and delayed facing the voice just long enough to compose herself and paste a smile on her face. Now in actor mode, she turned around, flashing a big smile in the direction she guessed the voice came from. “Morpheus, I presume?” When she took in his appearance she caught herself just in time to prevent an involuntary gasp from escaping her. He was the guy from the peep show she’d gotten when she’d broken in. God, he was an impressive looking guy. His powerful build rivalled Dimitri’s and his pretty-boy perfect looks and bleached-blond flowing hair might well attract the masses of females rumour claimed were stashed in the compound somewhere. It was his eyes, however, that held her attention. The intensity in those pale blue irises probed deeply into her soul, leaving the impression he was searching out all her secrets. She bloody hoped not. Holy shit, he was mesmerising. She shook her head to break the spell and moved forward, extending her hand. “I’m so pleased to meet you, Morpheus. My boyfriend and I are anxious to learn the path to happiness.” His eyes continued to burn into hers, but the sides of his mouth lifted in what he probably thought was a knock ‘em dead sexy smile. Thank the Lord she was immune or she might have been taken in by this guy. “Then why were you leaving? You had not yet met me, so I cannot believe I scared you away just yet.” He moved to her side and placed his large hand at the small of her back, urging her towards the couch. “Come. We have much to talk about.” Warmth permeated through to her back from where his hand rested and his breath sent shivers over her scalp. Her nipples responded in sympathy when he leant forward and spoke close to her ear. “I have looked forward to meeting you, Ellen.” Desperately clutching her arms around her middle, she sat at the far end of the couch and put some much needed space between them. Her thoughts were disjointed, confused.

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Whoa…she couldn’t be attracted to him, could she? Her brain told her she wasn’t but her body was reacting as though she was. What the fuck was that all about? Dim… She needed Dim. Oh God. The case. Concentrate on the case. Focus girl! Morpheus laughed as he sat at the other end of the couch, lazily laying his arm along the back of the couch. The tips of his fingers were mere inches away from her shoulder. He grasped a wisp of her hair and tugged it gently, twirling a curl between his thumb and index finger. “You don’t mind if I call you Ellen, do you? Familiarity is the first step to happiness, don’t you think?” He’s good. Yeah, really good. That hypnotic voice of his had her unconsciously leaning towards him before she stiffened and sat back. She never got this turned on by a stranger. Never from just talking either—except for Dimitri—and this guy was the bad guy. Surely there had to be something else happening here? She inhaled, looking for signs of any incense or candles laced with hallucinogens, but could only smell the musky aroma of the oil Erica had rubbed all over her skin. Maybe it was that. She’d sure been turned on in the bath and after. Were there aphrodisiacs in the water here? Helena moved farther away from Morpheus. She’d better be careful or she might end up biting off more than she could chew. Having pretend sex with Dim was one thing, but getting cosy with the cult leader was definitely way more than her job description called for. She bit her lip, trying to imagine she was in a cold shower while she planned her next move. “Nick and I know each other pretty well already.” His eyes darkened before he leaned over and touched her lips with his finger. “All my followers must get to know me first before the process of fulfilment can be completed.” As the implication registered in her mind, she swallowed and moved her head backwards, away from his hand. “Does that include the men as well? Or is it just your female followers?” “The men learn from me. I instruct them in my teachings.” He grabbed her hand and stood, forcing her body against his. She could feel his erection through the flowing robes they both wore. His hand snaked around the back of her head and his lips hovered inches from her own, his hot breath caressing her mouth. “With the women, I demonstrate.”

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His mouth came down hard on hers. He licked and sucked and moved those practiced lips all over to maximum effect. His teeth tugged her bottom lip and he launched his tongue inside, prodding in and out in an attempt to arouse her. He almost did. Sure, he was a great kisser, but she reminded herself that it was just an act, after all. Domination was what he was after and she could see how he managed it with the other women. He was good at what he did. She could feel her nipples puckering under her robes. Shit! Maybe it was the effects of the bath and the oils, or maybe the circumstances, but she had to stop before her body had any more unwanted reactions. She slid her hands up over his chest and shoved him backwards. He didn’t move. He lifted his mouth, his eyes still the same penetrating pale blue as before, but no passion, no sign that kissing her was anything more than a means to an end, showed in his penetrating gaze. That did it for her. Her body instantly went cold. She shoved harder, trying not to let him see her changed response. “I don’t cheat on Nick.” He let her go and snorted. Casually, he moved over to the table and poured himself a drink. “Do not think of it as cheating, my dear Ellen. What I can teach you will enhance your relationship with your lover.” “If you say so.” Over my dead body! “What I have to teach you is beyond your wildest dreams. I am the Dream Master and you will come to find what that means.” Cool. Here was her chance to get some intel. “How exactly do you master our dreams?” He turned sharply at her question. Too pointed a question? Maybe, but it was too late now. “I mean you will have all your dreams fulfilled my sweet.” “And what about Nick? How does he fit in?” “Ah, I will teach both of you how to reach the ultimate happiness.” “Through sex?” “Through fulfilment together.” He moved back to the couch and sat, pulling the chain by the wall behind him. “Enough about you and me. I will see your Nick now and we will discuss finances. My programme is very expensive.” “Money is not a problem. You can discuss money issues with me directly. After all, it’s my money that is paying for this.”

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“You think I did not check you out before you came? I know of your background. I prefer to discuss money with another man. It is, after all, men’s business.” She opened her mouth to protest but stopped. They’d discussed this eventuality with the captain, and both Dim and the Captain agreed that with a power freak like Morpheus, all discussions of money should be managed very carefully. The reason they were here, after all, was to get evidence of his fraudulent financial dealings. If Helena had her way, they’d get him for sexual assault as well. There was some sort of sexual spell hovering over the place and it sure as eggs wasn’t natural. The door opened and Dimitri walked in, garbed in robes similar to hers. The white silk set off his Greek colouring perfectly. He looked gorgeous. In her semi-aroused state, just looking at him, standing there in the doorway dressed as he was, had heat surging between her legs in an instant. He directed a questioning look at her and she flushed, giving a slight shake of her head. He moved to her side and placed his arm around her waist, pulling her close. Morpheus rose to his feet and held his hand out to Dimitri. “Welcome, Nick. I’ve been getting to know your lover. Do not worry; it is part of the process.” Dimitri’s grip tightened on her waist as he ignored the outstretched hand. “If that is what it takes to reach fulfilment, then so be it.” He looked down at her, a question in his eyes. “I’ve missed you, my love.” He leaned down and planted a feather-light kiss on the top of her head. “Have you enjoyed yourself?” She plastered a smile on her face. “Oh yes. It’s been most enlightening.” She reached up and gently touched his cheek. “Morpheus is going to instruct us personally.” A muscle on his cheek flickered under her touch. He turned to Morpheus and smiled. “Really? When do we learn more about this…instruction?” Morpheus smiled at both of them, although when he leered at her breasts, Dim pulled her to face him, enclosing her body with his arms. “As you can see, we’re anxious to increase our fulfilment.” “That is good. It means you are open to my instruction. But first we must turn our conversation to more mundane matters.” Morpheus gestured for them to sit. “Yes?” Dimitri sat next to Helena, reclining back in the smooth leather as he rested both his arms across the backrest.

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“You were given a prospectus when you booked your time here.” “Uh-huh, yes. It mentioned a fee. I presume you want to talk about that now.” “How astute. Unpleasant as it is, matters financial must be finalised before we commence the programme.” Helena jumped in first. “Fine. We have no problem with that. Let’s just get on with the experience.” Dim placed a hand on her arm. “Don’t be too hasty, Ellen. We should make sure we’re getting value for money first. I’m sure Morpheus understands where I’m coming from.” “Of course. You must sample what we have to offer before we require a signature on our contract. Shall we say three days? That is our usual trial period.” Dimitri exchanged a look with Helena before turning back to Morpheus to answer. “That sounds fine. What do you think, honey? “It’s all right with me too. It’s very generous of you to give us this opportunity.” Morpheus took a sip from the drink he’d left on the table before. “It will be my pleasure to instruct you in our ways. You will reach fulfilment like you’ve never imagined. I have no doubt you will be happy to sign the document and forward the agreed amount to my accountant.” “I hope so. I didn’t come here for nothing. Ellen and I like to explore…shall we say, adventurous forms of pleasure. Coming here is part of that exploration.” A satisfied grin was the only sign that Morpheus had taken the bait. Well done, Dimitri. As long as they could get this done before he insisted she have sex with him, everything would be fine. She knew he would eventually pressure her, most likely sooner rather than later, but she hoped to delay that choice experience for a few days to give them time enough to find their evidence. Morpheus visibly relaxed. “I am very pleased to hear that.” He cast those soulless pale blue eyes at Helena again, making her insides squirm. “As a reward, you are allowed to visit together this evening. Ellen’s room, I think. I will see that a sumptuous meal is provided. Tomorrow, we commence your instruction.” He stood and walked to the door, opening it for them. Clearly, they were dismissed. “My servant will take you both to Ellen’s room. Sleep well, my friends.”

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Helena and Dimitri walked hand in hand to the door. When the guard arrived and ushered them out into the corridor, Morpheus retreated back into the room and, without another word, closed the door.

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Chapter Four

Finally alone in Helena’s room, they both swept the room for cameras and bugs. Between the two of them, they found six different listening devices and four cameras. When the detector confirmed a camera above the vanity but not the sunken bath, Dimitri smiled. A safe place to talk…amongst other things. He hummed a few lines from a song he’d heard on the radio as he returned to the bedroom to join Helena at the small table in the sitting area. The food the servants brought for their meal sat uneaten as they finished checking the security. First things first. They would get time to talk later. The meal couldn’t be delayed much longer. Morpheus was probably watching their every move, so unless they wanted to make him suspicious, they’d better start enjoying his hospitality. Lifting the cover from the tray, Dimitri chuckled. They sure went for luxury in this place. No wonder the prices were so high. The platter of finger food was perfect for a sensual night in, and the champagne in the ice bucket…first class. This was going to be one of his more enjoyable missions for sure. It’d been a while since he’d been undercover. In fact, he’d completed his allotted two years before Hels had joined him in Vice five years ago, but the rush he got playing the role when any wrong move could put him in danger came back to haunt him. This time it was different. This time he had Hels to worry about and that added a whole new dimension to the equation. He’d never forgive himself if something happened to her. She was his partner, and God knew lately he’d started viewing her as a lot more. Fuck, it was bad timing. Hels started eyeing off the food as she always did. He watched as she picked up a prawn, dipped it in one of the sauces on the side and placed it whole into her mouth. He stifled a groan as her plump lips surrounded the pink flesh and sucked before biting off the tail and discarding it. The grand finish came when she placed her fingers in her mouth and licked off the excess juices.

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Holy shit. His dick was still testy from the remnants of whatever substance had aroused it during the so-called preparation session. Well, maybe testy wasn’t the right word. Armed and primed and ready to go might be more accurate. She looked over at him and must have figured out his predicament because she blushed from her neck up. Oh, how he wished he could see below the neckline of her robe to see that flush reach her breasts. She grabbed another prawn and repeated her performance, this time staring at his face while she bit hard into the flesh, baring her teeth as she did so. He threw back his head and laughed out loud. That’s Hels for you. “What are you laughing at?” She was blushing more deeply now. He cautioned her with his eyes. Don’t blow it now Hels. “I love the way you turn a simple thing like eating into foreplay. Just don’t be too hard on the poor prawns. They need gentle care, remember.” Her eyes widened and she nodded slightly, catching onto the game he started. “Yes, that’s true, but you know sometimes I like them hard and fast.” The blush had receded now to be replaced by a sexy smirk. His dick twitched, a definite indication of how much he was enjoying the direction this line of conversation was taking. It was his turn now. He reached over and picked up a strawberry, gently placing it between his lips before he swirled his tongue around its base, licking then sucking on the sweet juices before swallowing it whole. Helena’s intake of breath was audible. This was getting to her as well. Her robe gaped slightly as she leant forward, giving a tantalising view of her cleavage to fire up his enthusiasm. She picked up her flute and drank a sizeable amount of champagne in one gulp. He squeezed lemon juice all over the oysters before feeding himself one, then offered a shell to Helena. “Mmm, I love oysters. Thanks.” She went to take it from him but instead he coaxed it out of its shell with a small fork and placed it straight into her open mouth. Her groan of pleasure as the smooth mound slid down her throat reverberated throughout his body. He watched her pick up one and lean over the table, feeding him directly from her hand. Before she had a chance to withdraw, he quickly held her wrist in place and sucked on her fingers as she released the oyster, gazing deeply into her eyes all the time. She gasped but didn’t struggle to move away. Fire burned

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in her eyes, matching the fire in his whole body. He burned for her, and somehow, he didn’t think it was the chemicals this time. She drove him crazy with lust and she knew it. When he released her hand, he moved around to sit next to her and the internal fire cranked up a notch. He dipped a strawberry into chocolate sauce and held it up for her. She leant forward, but at the last minute, he dipped it lower and traced a line across the front of her breasts through the now-gaping robe. The sound of her gasp brought a smile to his face as she leant back on her chair, allowing him better access. He lowered his head and licked the chocolate off, starting from her neck and ending at the edge of her breast. With one hand, he opened the robe while the other dipped the strawberry again and traced the sweet syrup lower, discovering her nipple had beaded and was taut. He circled her dusky-pink areola and followed the trail left behind with his tongue, carefully avoiding the rigid peak. Her head fell back against the chair and her hands fisted over the edge of the seat. He stood and reached for her hands, drawing her up with him. Still silent, they walked over to the bed where he slowly removed her robe before lying her down. Quickly, he returned to the table and gathered a small plate of strawberries and chocolate sauce, returning to place it on the bed near her head. “I’ve always loved chocolate-dipped strawberries.” Her breathless voice was almost his undoing as he lay down beside her gorgeous, naked body and turned to face her. “Oh yeah, I’m learning to love them more and more each day.” This time he trailed one from the dip between her breasts to her navel, lapping up the chocolate trail eagerly. Her abdominal muscles contracted below his touch and he could feel the shiver spreading though her body when his tongue dragged its way across her smooth skin. God, she was so responsive. Fuck, that turned him on. He placed the strawberry in her mouth and she sucked it out of his fingers, her mouth completely surrounding it. Oh yeah, baby. The next trail began at her navel and traced its way down to her mound of soft curls. Her legs opened slightly so he took advantage of the invitation and swirled the chocolate across her clit. She arched her hips so he kept going, lodging the plump fruit into her vagina and plunging it inside. His fingers felt a gush of liquid as she welcomed the intrusion. Never before had fruit been put to such good use.

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He left the cool fruit in place while he cleaned off the chocolate, sucking her swollen clit. It hardened underneath his tongue as he alternatively flicked and sucked. Her breathing was erratic as he plunged the strawberry in and out with his other hand. “Oh God…” “Let it go, gorgeous. Don’t hold back. I want you to enjoy your desert.” He continued his meal, feasting on her beautiful body until she stiffened and exploded, her juices flowing all around his fingers. Her soft cry of release urged him on, and he continued to lap up all she had to offer until her spasms subsided then withdrew the strawberry. “Look at me, sweetheart.” Her eyes were dreamy as she attempted to focus on his face. “See how I love your taste.” He took the used strawberry into his own mouth and sucked. Her eyes widened and he saw a flicker of extra passion as he swallowed the tip then slowly consumed the rest. “So delicious.”

She was floating on sensation, and when she saw Dim swallow the strawberry covered in her juices, she almost drowned in her own passion. When had she become so shameless? Since Dim started noticing her as a woman, that’s when. She would never lay eyes on a strawberry again without remembering how he’d used it to give her pleasure. Bloody hell. Well hell, why should he have all the fun? She rolled over to her side and reached for him, pushing him down on to his back on the bed beside her. His eyes shined with passion and delight at her bold move. “Oh baby, getting a bit rough, aren’t you?” “You ain’t seen nothing yet. Give me time and you’ll see what rough is.” Sensuously moving her body over his, she straddled his hips and leant forward to claim his mouth in a scorching kiss. Her strawberry soaked curls rubbed against his magnificent erection. Slowly moving her mouth along a path towards it, she was tempted to impale herself, but that would be too easy. He needed some sweet torture. Payback for what he put her through. She smiled against his warm, silky skin. This is going to be so much fun.

****

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Morpheus smiled. Let them enjoy this evening together. When they were finished and sleeping he would begin to take control. He could see the girl had passion. It would bring him immense pleasure to possess her, and once he was inside her dreams, she would be his to control. The boyfriend would allow it too. In return, he would get to sample the many other delights on offer, starting with Lydia. She had seen him arrive and wanted him for herself. Fine with him. It was Ellen who had the bank account. Once he had her hooked, it didn’t matter about the man. She would gladly break off the relationship. In the end, she would do anything Morpheus asked of her, including donating all her money to his cause. He could hardly wait. The cameras were switched back to their room and he resumed watching their performance. His robe opened as he stroked his penis. The girl was magnificent. Her body moved sensuously, rubbing against the man’s cock before she began riding him to a climax. The man’s face said it all. Enjoy it while you can, my friend, for tomorrow she is mine! Morpheus continued his self-gratification, pumping in time to the couple on screen. His breath shortened as the timing increased and his head fell back as his eyes closed. He couldn’t hold it back any longer. His seed exploded all over his robe. He pressed the button next to the desk. Erica could clean him up.

**** The mood in the bath was subdued. Their euphoric afterglow fizzled out big time when they both remembered they’d just probably provided a good show to whoever was watching the CCTV. What the hell was happening to them? If the captain ever got wind of this little episode they’d both be suspended so fast they’d be dizzy. Helena looked over at Dim as he turned up the tap to mask their conversation. He’d assured her there were no cameras or bugs directly on the bath so they could talk in relative privacy, but they weren’t about to take any chances. “I’m sorry Hels,” he whispered. “I don’t know what came over me. I knew about the cameras, but I forgot all about them once we started eating.” His anxious expression melted her heart but it also reminded her that, to him, this was still a job.

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“It wasn’t just you involved, Dim. We’re both guilty of losing control.” She leant over the edge to grab the sponge and began soaping herself as impersonally as she could manage. “Forget it. We need to move on. We have a case to solve. At least this way, we’re not setting off any alarm bells. If they saw us having sex, then they’ll continue to believe we’re a couple.” Dims eyes focused on the sponge as she moved it over her chest and stomach to clear off the remnants of the chocolate sauce. “Dim!” He shook his head back and forth quickly and shrugged. “Sorry. This place is getting to me.” The flush she’d been keeping at bay all afternoon made its way from her breasts to her scalp. Great. “Yeah, well, get a grip, buddy. We need a plan.” She squeezed the soapy sponge over her arms, covering her embarrassment, and looked away from his beautiful face. “It sounded like Morpheus has plans for me tomorrow. That could work to our advantage and give you some time to get a better look around.” “Yeah, but what if he wants to do more than just talk? How will you get out of that one? You’ll need me around to run interference.” She snorted. She’d been his partner for five years and he had to pick now to get protective. Before they had sex, he’d always trusted her to handle herself in a crisis. “I’m pretty good at looking after myself, remember? Why the sudden concern? Just because we had sex doesn’t change anything. I’m still the same partner I always was.” “This time’s a lot different, Hels. You’ve never been undercover with a madman who wants to get into your pants. I’d feel a lot better if I’m close by to step in if things get too hot to handle.” “And we both need you to search for evidence to nail this madman while you have the chance.” “I don’t want to argue with you.” “Then don’t.” He reached for her chin, tilting her head so that she stared directly into his eyes. “I mean it. This guy is nuts. We already know he’s attracted to you if that scene in his office was anything to go by.”

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“You saw that?” Was he jealous? That would be cool, but…nah, not love ‘em and leave ‘em Dimitri. He released her chin, still maintaining eye contact. “He made sure I saw it. The guard turned on the closed circuit television outside the office before we went in. I guess he wanted to make sure we weren’t interrupting anything before we joined you.” “I don’t think he’s attracted to me. It felt more like he was asserting his power over me.” “Maybe so, but you didn’t see the way he looked at you. He practically had you undressed and trussed up where you stood.” “Trussed up, Dim? Don’t be so dramatic. Although…just for the record, he’s not a half bad kisser.” She laughed at his scowl. This was getting much too serious. She couldn’t do her job with Dim complicating things by intimidating her. “I can handle it. Trust me to do my job. You’re not helping matters by bringing up problems which may not even happen.” “I know he’ll be coming up!” She splashed him, flicking water into his serious face. “Oh, get over it. We knew it was about sex before we came in. If I can handle it, so should you.” “Hey. Watch the eyes!” He retaliated by cupping his hands together and sending a huge stream of water over her head. She didn’t have a chance against his superior strength so she opted for brains. Feinting to one side, she swivelled the other way and used her feet to haul herself out of the bath. Quickly grabbing one of the huge bath sheets from the rack, she wrapped herself up and moved like lightning to the hand shower, turning it on while she aimed it at his chest. His strong arms reached out as he stood and grabbed for the hose. She was too quick for him and moved quickly to the other side of the bath. When he followed her, stepping through the water, she abandoned the hand shower, turning the tap off before stepping back from the edge. “Okay. Enough.” She turned back to him and gasped. He was standing, legs apart and hands on hips, stark naked. Holy shit, he had a body on him. “You’ll keep, girl.” She spluttered. “I bloody well hope so.” He started to retort but a loud knock on the door to the suite interrupted him. “Who the hell would that be?” His brow furrowed in his annoyance at the interruption.

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“The maid to collect the tray?” “Maybe. Since you’re the one who’s semi-covered, then you had better go and find out.” Helena looked down at her wet towel and groaned. She snatched the robe from the door of the dressing room and headed towards the front door. The knock grew louder as she tied the belt around her middle. “Keep your shirt on. I’m coming already!” The ever so trusty guard was standing outside her room. It seemed he never had any time off. She sucked in a deep breath and blew it out slowly. Patience, Hels. “Yes?” “It is time for Mr. Carides to return to his room.” “What? You must be mistaken. Morpheus told us to enjoy our evening together.” “Dinner hours are now over. The Master wishes all our guests to sleep alone. It is the rule.” “Listen, buster—” Dim arrived, tying his robe as he stood beside her. “It’s okay, sweetheart. We’d better follow the rules.” He kissed her fully on the mouth before brushing past her and out into the corridor. With a reassuring smile, he winked. He was right, she supposed. No point in rocking the boat. “All right then. See you tomorrow, lover boy. Sleep well.” “Oh, I’m sure about that, gorgeous. I’ll be thinking of you. Sweet dreams yourself, sweetheart.” Judging from his scowl, the guard was starting to get a bit restless. Maybe time apart was a good idea. They sure needed a break from the intensity. “Oh, I’ll definitely be dreaming about you, honey.” And with that remark, she closed the door and leaned against it. For the first time since she’d arrived at the compound, she was finally alone. All things being equal, she liked her own space, but right now, she wasn’t so sure. At this minute, she felt isolated, cut off from all support. Damn Dimitri. Why hadn’t he insisted on staying?

****

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Helena opened her eyes at the sound of soft music coming from somewhere inside her bedroom. She hadn’t noticed any speakers before, but with all the cameras and bugs, she wasn’t surprised they were there. The alluring tones of a string symphony accompanied a beautiful voice. It was dreamlike and sing-song, reminding her of the siren’s song she’d seen in a movie on Homer’s Odyssey. She sat up in bed, trying to pinpoint where the voice was coming from. “Come, my sweet. The Master awaits…” She shook her head and lay back down. Did I just hear what I thought I heard? The light in the room changed from dark shadows to a purple glow, reflecting off the white of the bed covers and onto her face. She jerked upright again. What the fuck? “Come, my sweet… The Master awaits in your dreams…” the lilting voice said. The heady scent of sandalwood filled the room. She inhaled deeply but quickly realised her mistake. Her head spun in giddy circles and her vision blurred. Oh shit. Lethargy overcame her body as thoughts spun out in a million different directions. Her last thought before losing consciousness was that Dimitri wouldn’t be able to help her out of this one. She was so screwed.

Dimitri tossed and turned, pummelled his pillow and tried for the twentieth time to get some sleep. Tomorrow, he’d need all his energy reserves if he was to resist whatever substances Morpheus was using to make them so horny. He guessed it was all a device to get under their defences and control them. Sex was a powerful weapon. Hopefully, Hels would remember what they discussed about resisting the drugs. No deep breathing and no eating or drinking anything Morpheus offers. The police psychiatrist also told them to resist the thoughts if this came up. The mind was a powerful thing, but Dim knew how powerful hallucinogenic drugs were. Midazolam, Rohypnol… Both made a person lose their inhibitions and left no memory of what had happened while under its effects. He just hoped to God that Hels would be able to avoid having anything administered to her. He wasn’t sure he could get to her in time if that happened. Fuck, why hadn’t he realised how much he cared about her before this? She made him crazy most of the time, but she was his best friend. He’d told her all about his girlfriends, for Christ’s sake. She made him feel things he’d never really believed existed before.

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Protectiveness, need, want, caring, but the scariest thought of all was when he thought about losing her, he died a little inside. Fuck. When did he get so mushy? However, it seemed she didn’t feel the same way. She was one cool customer and he had no idea where her head was. He knew she enjoyed the sex, but she wasn't giving anything away about her feelings, if she had any for him at all. For him, however, it was more than just sex and that blew his mind. Feeling this way came out of left field and that scared the hell out of him. Knowing she was to spend time alone with Morpheus was torture. Dimitri had to make her understand how dangerous it was. If he could pull her out, he would, but they were in too deep. If they were lucky, they’d get their evidence tomorrow so they could call in the troops and get the hell out of there. He couldn’t wait. He had plans that included getting a new partner so he and Hels could be together. She didn’t know it yet, but he’d decided he wasn’t letting her go. But first, they had to get out of this freaking mess and nail this bastard Morpheus. Shit. What was that? The hairs on the back of his neck stood to attention as his senses switched to overdrive. He cocked his ear towards the door and heard the quiet squeak of the handle slowly turning. Now what? Slowly edging off the bed, he thanked his lucky stars he’d decided to wear boxers to bed instead of sleeping naked like he usually did. He slipped into the bathroom and leaned against the wall, operating on sheer instinct. The door inched open, and a small sliver of light shone through. A figure entered through the small opening and closed the door silently. He held his breath as the figure moved past his hiding place. It was hard to tell who the intruder was, but one thing was for sure—it wasn’t the bodyguard or Morpheus. This person was shorter, slighter in build and smelled of women’s perfume. However, it wasn’t Hels’ unique scent that filled his nostrils. This was stronger and so much heavier than Helena’s subtle fragrance. His nose twitched as he fought a sudden urge to sneeze. Shit, what was that smell? Was it supposed to be a turn on? It sure was having the opposite effect on him, although it could be that the scent of Hels was still very much in his head. As the figure continued a silent journey towards the bed, Dimitri closed in. His arm moved around the neck of the intruder, effecting a headlock “Who the hell are you and what the fuck are you doing in my room?”

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The figure leant back into his body and became limp, taking him by surprise. His hold loosened slightly, allowing whomever it was to wriggle out of his grasp. She stepped back from him and threw off her heavy cloak hood, the light from the hallway revealing flashing green eyes and masses of curly red hair. From the predatory smile, there was no question this was a female. One very aggressive female. She threw back the cloak from her shoulders and pushed her very ample breasts forward in the process. “I am Lydia, assistant to Morpheus.” That explained it—not. “Well, Lydia, why did you feel the need to sneak into my room in the middle of the night? If you wanted to talk to me, all you had to do is knock.” She sauntered seductively towards him and reached out, taking his hand in hers. “So strong.” Turning his palm upward, she traced her finger along his heart line. “And yet so gentle…” He snatched his hand back and rubbed it against his boxers. “So tell me again. Why are you here?” He watched her reach over to the bedside table and switch on the lamp, the muted beams illuminating the auburn highlights of her hair. She sat on the side of the bed and patted a place close beside her. “There, that’s more civilised, don’t you think?” Oh, she’s good. But no way was she getting that close to him without a reason. He put on the best snarl he had in his repertoire and tried to give her the impression she had him rattled. “Civilised? I wasn’t the one breaking into someone’s room.” “Oh, you’re not going to hold that against me, are you? You can’t blame a girl for checking out the new man.” Her husky voice was beginning to annoy him. It reeked of sex and invitation, but he preferred the more honest tones of Helena’s. Lydia sounded like she wouldn’t know a truth if it came up and whacked her over the head. “You have an interesting way of checking someone out. I’m used to people introducing themselves and starting a conversation. But hey, I’m the guest and you’re the hostess. What would I know? Do you greet all your new guests this way?” She laughed, her voice echoing around the room, or was that just his imagination? “I understand you had a big night with your lover. I knew you would be tired so I didn’t want to disturb you.”

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He raised an eyebrow at her. “So you like to look then?” Her eyes flared with something that looked a lot like passion. “Among other things. You will find out tomorrow. I am to be your instructor in the path to fulfilment.” Oh shit, this place is full of sickos. “You do realise I am here with my lover. We’re here to learn together.” “Do not fear. Morpheus will instruct your lover as I will you. You will be all the more fulfilled. I will teach you ways to fulfil you and your lover that you never even thought of in your dreams.” “I’m not sure this is what we signed on for.” “Ah, but this is the way we do things here. It is the rule.” Great. Another one of those rules. That evidence had better be found the next day or Hels was in big trouble. He could handle this she-devil, but Helena was a babe in the woods when it came to sexual predators. “Okay, tomorrow then. I look forward to it.” He pulled her upright and shoved her towards the door. “I’d better get my rest then. It sounds like it could be tiring.” She resisted his gentle shove to turn around and face him. “All right. I will leave you, but with something to dream about.” She grabbed his face between her cool hands and reached up to his lips, kissing him with practiced passion. Her tongue traced around the edges of his mouth, and when he didn’t oblige her, she bit on his lower lip. When he gasped at the sharp pain she inflicted, she went in for the kill, swirling her tongue all around, exploring his mouth. He went along with it for a few more seconds before pulling free, stopping the uninvited invasion. He pushed her farther away, fighting the urge to wipe the back of his hand over his mouth. Her kiss had left him feeling incredibly violated. “Down, girl. I’d better get that sleep now.” She hesitated, keeping eerily still while he listened to his own heart beat pounding in his head. Seconds later she moved towards the door, turning as she reached the hallway. “As you wish I will leave you now. Pleasant dreams, Mr. Carides.” “Thanks. Nice meeting you, Lydia.” He closed the door before she had a chance to say anything more. Phew. That was a close call.

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Chapter Five

Helena woke with a pounding headache. Taking her time to open her eyes, she rubbed her fingers slowly over her forehead. Where the heck was she? Oh yeah, the compound. Dim. Morpheus. Lifting the sheet, she realised she was naked. Fleeting visions of naked, sweaty bodies and mind-blowing orgasms flashed past her eyes. She searched her mind for the source of the memories. Shit. She bolted upright. She’d been dressed in a robe when Dimitri left last night. What the hell happened after he’d left? Sluggishly, she dragged the sheet around her body and made her way to the bathroom. Her head was fuzzy. She stumbled slightly and tripped over the long satin trail, so she abandoned the sheet and stood in front of the mirror. The familiar heat of her blush stained her skin as she saw the marks of their torrid lovemaking on her breasts and neck. God, she and Dim had gone at it like animals. Would she ever stop turning beetroot-red every time she thought about sex with him? How the hell was she going to work with him when this case was over? For Dim, it was a case of throwing himself into the spirit of it all because of the case. With his history of women, he’d have no trouble walking away at the end like nothing happened. She couldn’t think of one past conquest he wasn’t still a friend with. No way would she find it that easy. She’d broken one of her cardinal rules before they even got together. She’d been in love with him for five long years, so ending this unscathed wasn’t an option. Her shoulders slumped as she sighed heavily, and with little enthusiasm, she turned on the shower, hoping the soothing spray would clear her head. She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against the marble wall, letting the water run over her back. Why couldn’t she remember getting undressed? The last thing she recalled was closing the door after Dim left. What the hell happened next? Absentmindedly grabbing the shower gel, she soaped her body in lazy circles while her mind whirled with thousands of different possibilities, none of them pleasant. Had someone come into her room during the night? Had she been drugged? Did she sleep walk? Nothing made sense, and each time she tried to push it, her head hurt more. She turned off the taps and stepped into the dressing room, pulling on the towelling bathrobe to

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soak up the water beaded on her damp skin. Better not give the cameras too much of an eyeful, although she figured they’d already seen more than enough the night before. God, she hoped no one had watched her and Dim while they were making love. They were supposed to put on a show, but what they shared last night was more than an act to her. For a while there it seemed more than that for Dim as well, but she shouldn’t go there and hope for something that wasn’t going to happen. Dimitri wasn’t looking for anything long term. How many times had he told her that while he told her about his current conquests? She checked the drawers and all she found were several wisps of material that, if you used your imagination, might possibly be recognised as underwear. Reluctantly, she picked out a matching lacy half-cup bra and high-cut thong in lilac. They’ll have to do. Something was better than nothing and no way was she going commando in this place. The choice of clothes was much easier. She could choose anything she liked, as long as it was white flowing robes. The kind that wrapped around your middle with a material belt and opened for easy access with a flick of the wrist. Great. No prizes for guessing what was on today’s agenda. An involuntary shiver raced up and down her spine as she remembered how she’d been unable to stop herself from reacting to Morpheus yesterday when he kissed her. Dimitri thought the bath water or even the massage oil had been laced with some sort of aphrodisiac. Maybe he was right; she had never been as aroused in her life as she’d been in the last twenty-four hours. It had an awful lot to do with Dimitri himself, but working with him all these years, she had successfully managed to keep control of her libido until now. Maybe it was just this place. Everything about it reeked of sex. The furniture, the paintings and the miniscule garb that all the staff wore. Even the way they all called Morpheus ‘The Master’ had serious sexual subservient overtones. She wandered back to the bedroom, brushing her hair. Why hadn’t Erica appeared to prepare her this time? The girl had been pretty thorough yesterday, and that was just for the initial meeting. With what Helena believed Morpheus had in mind, it surprised her there hadn’t been another preparation ritual. What was Dimitri up to right now? Was he getting the full treatment he missed out on yesterday? Just as she put the finishing touches to her makeup and brushed out her newly dried hair, the door to her suite opened. Luckily for her, she was decent. Although she was getting

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used to being on display, she would never get used to the idea that it was strangers doing the observing, however much that thought aroused her more basic sexual fantasies. “The Master is ready for you.” It was a different guard this time. This one was scary looking. His huge shoulders and chest were intimidating as he flexed his muscles through the bolero top. No robes for this one. I wonder what his special job is. “Ever heard of knocking?” He shrugged. “It is not necessary when the Master wishes your presence.” She rolled her eyes. Oh brother. This Master stuff was really beginning to bug her. It was a good sign though. If she was annoyed, then it meant she wasn’t under the influence of anything chemical. For the moment, anyway. The room where the guard delivered Helena was in a different part of the mansion from where she’d met Morpheus the day before. She looked around the small room in surprise. It consisted of only a pair of armchairs seated in front of a large mirror. “You must wait here. Please sit. Morpheus will join you when he is ready.” She picked the seat closest to the door and sat, glaring back at the intimidating guard. “I will be fine now. Thank you.” “As you wish.” The door closed behind him and she again heard herself locked in. A trusting lot this Dream Masters crowd. If everyone was there voluntarily, why did they feel the need to lock everyone in all the time? Almost immediately at the end of that thought, the lights in the room dimmed and a room on the other side of the mirror became visible. Her gaze was drawn to the large bed that dominated the room. A door opened and a couple walked in. The young girl wore a maid’s uniform and a man was dressed in the same robes Dimitri had worn. The girl led the man by his hand until he stood in front of the bed. As he stood motionless, she opened his robes and knelt in front of him. Helena sucked in a breath as the girl grasped his obvious arousal with both her hands. Holy shit, this is a peep show! “See how we can bring fulfilment to others, my dear Ellen.” Bloody hell. She almost fell off the chair at the sound of Morpheus’ voice. Her head whizzed around to see where he was, but there was no one there. “Did I startle you, Ellen?”

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The speakers. It had to be the speakers. She squirmed inwardly at the thought of him watching her from another room. This was getting weirder by the minute, him watching her watching that couple behind the mirror. “Er…maybe just a little. Why am I here?” He laughed. “You must watch. The reason for this show will become clearer. Be patient.” Patience wasn’t something she had time for. “Morpheus?” “You are missing your instruction, Ellen.” “Oh, I think I get the message. I just want to know if Nick will be joining me. I would enjoy the performance much better with him by my side. I’m sure you can understand that.” His voice lowered. “You grow aroused. That is good. You will be united with your lover soon enough. I will join you for your next lesson shortly. For now, enjoy!” Enjoy? En-joy? Sheesh, there was so much sex going on in this place it was almost getting boring. Well…maybe. Okay, not boring, but she wished she knew what to expect next. Whatever the reason, he wanted her aroused twenty-four-seven. Sex was a powerful weapon for sure, but just how did he use it to fleece his followers of their money? She sat back in the chair and looked at the scene playing out in front of her. The girl continued her oral examination of the man as he stood there in front of the bed. His face had been expressionless when he first entered the room, but that certainly wasn’t the case now. His head hung backwards and his eyes were closed. Helena could see his breathing increase as the girl moved her hands around to squeeze his buttocks. He clutched her head, pressing her closer to his body, urging her on as he moved closer and closer to his climax. Helena should have looked away from the very intimate act, but like a moth drawn to the light, she couldn’t help herself. Her shallow breathing became louder and shorter as the familiar heady scent she now associated with sex filled the room. In a haze of sensation, her mind shut down as her vision blurred. She could only feel. Liquid pooled between her thighs as her head flopped backwards. Her mouth opened on a sigh she had no control over. What the hell was happening to her? “Good…good. You are now ready for me, my sweet. We will be together soon for your first instruction session.” “Huh?” She shook her head from side to side as she tried to fight the lethargy that threatened to take over her consciousness.

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**** Dimitri slowly made his way down a corridor near the back of the building. It hadn’t been easy giving his guard the slip, but if he played his cards right, no one would notice anything amiss. That line of crap he’d relayed about wanting to sleep longer to get rid of a headache would last for only so long. He’d jammed the cameras just long enough to stuff extra pillows under the covers and pick the lock to escape his room. Figuring he had an hour before they came looking for him again, he had better make sure the time counted for something. Thank God he’d had the foresight to hide some clothes before they’d taken his luggage away. The jamming device he wore inside the pocket of his jeans would enable him to move around without being caught on camera, but after too many transmission interruptions, the security staff were bound to get suspicious. Maybe he’d get lucky and find some incriminating evidence straight away so he and Hels could get the hell out of this weird palace. The sooner they got away, the sooner he could tell her how he really felt about her. Of course he had yet to figure it out himself, but he planned on having a lot of fun doing just that with her by his side. He ducked into an alcove at the sound of a door opening ahead of him. Cautiously peering around, Dimitri saw a man and a woman walk out of a room and head the opposite way down the corridor. It was the perfect invitation. He picked the lock and was in there in a flash. Hallelujah. Computers and monitors. Not bothering to turn on the light, he turned on monitor on the wall, thinking if it was a surveillance camera he could see who was out there in the corridor. Fucking hell. It was a surveillance camera alright, but not in any corridor. It showed Hels lying on a bed, apparently asleep or drugged—he couldn’t tell which, although he’d bet on the latter. Holy shit. Morpheus was in there with her and he was getting closer to her. Fuck. The vein in his forehead throbbed like a double-kick base drum. The dirty bastard was putting his hands on Hels. Dimitri had to get in there and stop him—and fast. He checked the gadget inside his jeans to make sure it was still operational and scrambled back to the door, slipping back into the corridor at breakneck speed. He looked in both directions then stopped cold. Which way should he go? Which room to look in? Retreating back into the room, he looked

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around for any indication of where the camera feed was coming from. Think. He ploughed a shaking hand through his hair away from his eyes. Think, dammit. When he smashed his fist down on the desk in front of him, another computer screen came to life. It was a list naming the followers of the cult and their bank accounts. He was torn. Did he stay and investigate the unexpected bounty given him so he could get the evidence needed to shut this operation down, or did he ditch the opportunity in favour of saving the women he loved? Jeez, why was he even asking himself? The answer was clear. He had to find Hels and now. He grabbed the mouse and minimised the window then clicked on the menu to look for any security programmes. Quickly finding what he wanted, he pulled up a map of the mansion. Rooms with cameras, it seemed, were highlighted with a small icon. Some were flashing which made him think they were operational. Systematically clicking on each of the flashing icons, he discovered his assumption was correct and grimaced to see an assortment of couples in positions, performing acts even he’d never thought of. Damn. Where the fuck are they? With only two rooms left to check, Dimitri hesitated before clicking the mouse, saying a silent prayer to a God he’d ignored for many years. Please, please, help me get to Helena in time. Click. Oh thank God. He’d found her. He picked up the phone and made a quick call to the captain while taking note of the room’s position, then headed out of the room to rescue the woman of his dreams.

**** “Ellen. Open your eyes for me, my beautiful Ellen.” Morpheus’ hypnotic voice intruded into an erotic dream Helena was having. Someone was stroking her body; it felt like all her senses were on overload. She smiled in her stupor and turned towards the sound of his voice, opening and closing her eyes a few times to clear her vision. “Mmm…I feel so—” She stiffened. “Morpheus,” she whispered, horrified. “Yes, it is I, my fair one. Do not be alarmed. Relax and enjoy.” His long fingers deftly untied the belt of her robes. She gasped and tried to move away, but the lethargy that had engulfed her wouldn’t allow it. Her limbs felt like lead. “What are you doing?” she rasped.

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He frowned then opened her robes, unveiling the barely-there lingerie. Her traitorous nipples budded at the sudden brush of cooler air. “You are under my control now Ellen. You cannot escape me, and after you have sampled what true fulfilment is, you will not want to.” Her mind was so fuzzy, but she had to think. Oh God, this is why I am here? She had to play along so she could get evidence against him. Shit, she’d known this was a possibility, but now that the time was here, she wasn’t sure she could go through with it. But the drugs were making her so languorous it was just possible she didn’t have a choice anyway. It might just be easier to go with the flow for the time being. Maybe Dim would find out what was happening and come rescue her like a knight on a white charger. She bloody well hoped he would, but she didn’t like the odds. Concentrating very hard, she managed to lift one of her shaking hands, which she placed over his. “I’m sorry. You startled me, that’s all.” His blue eyes gleamed with smug satisfaction. “That’s better. You’ll enjoy your lesson, beautiful Ellen, I promise you.” His index finger skimmed lightly over her cheek and moved down her neck, and she couldn’t help but shiver when he reached her breast and slid the bra strap to the side. She closed her eyes and a cacophony of voices started chanting inside her head. The Master is waiting for you. The Master will show you fulfilment. Only the Master can show you… With an apparent will of its own, her head moved back and forth as she fought the voices in her mind, but the repetitive drone turned on some switch in her brain she had no control over. Both bra straps were now off her shoulders, her breasts almost exposed. Just a thin strip of lilac gauze covered her nipples. She sucked in a breath and tried to regain control of her body, but it was a losing battle as the voices within became louder and louder. There was nothing she could do but give in to it. You must let the Master show you…the Master is all powerful…the Master will show you pleasure… A warm mouth clamped over her nipple and she sighed against her will. What was happening to her? Her brain was barely alert enough to know she shouldn’t be turned on by what was happening to her. She should feel revulsion, but it seemed her body had other

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ideas—just like when Morpheus had kissed her the day before and she found herself responding to his unwanted attention. Waves of pleasure rippled through her body as the assault of his mouth continued. His hands moved along the sides of her body towards the elastic of her thong. Fingers reached inside the band and began pulling her last remaining piece of clothing down towards her feet. “Get your filthy hands off my woman!” Dim? Her brain cells kicked in and she woke from her daze enough to shove the stunned Morpheus off her body. Dim grabbed him by the collar and threw him across the floor. “Are you okay, Hels?” She nodded as her useless hands tried unsuccessfully to tie the belt around her middle. “I think so, but I’m still a little woozy.” As she sat up, dizziness hit and her head began to spin. She started to fall back onto the bed, but Dimitri’s strong arms were there supporting her, pulling her close to his very welcome chest. She opened her eyes to see Morpheus moving towards the pull cord by the window. “Look out. He’s going to call the guards!” Dimitri let her go carefully then rammed into the cult leader, pushing him off balance. Morpheus came back fighting, his fists flying wildly in all directions. Dimitri ducked and feinted to the left before landing a powerful punch in the solar plexus. The big man faltered and staggered backwards, giving Dimitri the opportunity to catch his jaw with a sharp right hook. Morpheus swayed back and forth in slow motion, his right arm reaching forward into thin air before his large body crumpled and fell to the floor. After checking that Morpheus was definitely unconscious, Dimitri returned to Helena and pulled her to her feet. “Quick. We have to get the fuck out of town!” Little white dots appeared in front of her eyes and she felt the air in her lungs whoosh out in one foul swoop. “Dim…” she whispered. “I think I’m going to faint…” Strong arms scooped her up effortlessly and moved out of the room and down the stairs. “Stay with me, kiddo. We have one stop to make first before we’re home free.” “What?” She barely got the question out when Dim balanced her with one arm while opening a door to a room on the floor directly below where they’d left Morpheus. He set her down on an office chair and fished a memory stick out from under his shirt. “You found something?” Blood seemed to be returning to her head, thank the Lord.

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Dim inserted the stick into the USB drive of the computer and opened the explorer windows. “Yeah…” His irresistible dimple showed itself again as he winked at her. “I bloody well hope it’s enough.” Her heart contracted painfully as she realised their time together as a couple was almost over. She attempted a half smile, but from the puzzled look on his face, she guessed she didn’t succeed. “We’d better get our arses out of here, partner.” The sooner they got back to reality, the better. Yeah. Like she really believed that. Dimitri nodded and clicked a few times to close the document then dragged and dropped the folder into the window of his memory stick. He removed the stick quickly and tapped her on the shoulder. “Okay, got it. Let’s go.” He held her hand in a firm grasp and checked the corridor, ducking quickly back inside the room and closing the door. “Fuck!” “How many?” she whispered as her hand fell away from his warm grasp. “Looks like three. Shit. Let’s see if there’s another way out of this room.” Helena pulled aside the curtains and saw that the windows overlooked the rear courtyard, an unexpected bonus. The hitch was they were on the second floor. “If we can get the window open, we can try to climb down. There’s a trellis but I’m not sure how stable it is.” Dimitri joined her at the window. She felt his body heat radiating through her robe, catching his tantalising scent as he raised his arms and attempted to open the window. The lock clicked under his experienced hands and the help of his trusty lock pick. “Are you ever unprepared, Dim?” His eyes bored into hers and she saw something there for just a second. Could it have been desire? For her? But the moment was broken when he gave her one of his larrikin grins and winked at her. “I’m always prepared, Hels, but I’m definitely no boy scout.” He leant forward and brushed her lips in a very un-boy scout like kiss. The brief contact was enough to send her heart racing, and he just carried on as if nothing happened. “You go first and head to the fence behind that clump of trees over there. I’ll be behind you all the way.” He cupped his hands to give her a leg up. She stared for a few moments at

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his long fingers entwined and locked together. Graceful and gentle fingers she remembered, but also strong and demanding. “Hels?” With a little luck, he wouldn’t notice the redness that quickly covered her face. She smiled weakly as she leapt up on the window sill. How could she even think about sex while in the middle of an escape? Bloody hell, that drug is doing strange things to my mind. Get with the programme, Hels! She placed her already sweaty hands onto the lattice to steady herself while she placed first one then the other of her bare feet. Ouch. The sharp edges of wood dug in to the soles of her feet. If only she’d remembered to snatch those slip-ons she’d left on the floor of Morpheus’ instruction room. Not that the flimsy soles would have given her much protection, but hey, anything would be welcome about now. She looked up and saw Dimitri waiting above her. Of course he wouldn’t be able to follow her until she cleared the trellis. Their combined weight would most probably destroy the structure. Her head spun when she looked down. It looked like she had about ten feet to go. Closing her eyes, she let herself fall the remaining way down and immediately rolled on her side to reduce the impact on her bare feet. The robes she was wearing opened, giving Dimitri more than an eyeful. She caught him taking full advantage of her inadvertent strip show before he turned around and started his descent. So now, in the middle of escaping from the bad guys, he likes to look? As she crouched behind the tree on the fence line waiting for Dimitri, she pondered whether that was a good sign. He certainly acted like he cared about her, but with Dim, you could never tell. She already knew he always cared about the girls he took out. Just not deeply. What she did know, without a doubt, was that their relationship was forever changed. If he thought they could stay partners and buddies after this, then he was mistaken. There was no going back now. One way or another, this was their last case together.

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Chapter Six

It was amazing how quickly the case wrapped up. Morpheus, aka Johnny Bristow, was in jail awaiting his day in court on dozens of fraud, sexual assault and unlawful imprisonment charges. Lydia was also in jail charged as an accomplice. After all the paper work was completed, the case was considered closed and Dimitri and Hels were free until the trial. It couldn’t happen fast enough as far as Dimitri was concerned. He was itching to pursue a relationship with her. He never expected to find love right under his nose, but when he thought about it, he’d always known there was something special about his relationship with her. She was his best buddy, his confidante and his soul mate. He was going to show her she didn’t have a choice. They were meant for each other. She just didn’t know it yet. The vibes he’d been getting since they’d escaped the compound were very cool however, which confused him a little. The explosive sex they’d shared was anything but cool, but from the way Hels was treating him, it had never happened. They’d managed to leave that part out of the reports, but every time he closed his eyes, he ached to touch her again. He missed her. Not just the sex, but her. The defining moment had come when he’d seen her on that bed with Morpheus pawing her. He’d known then and there the only person who would touch Hels from here to eternity was him. The door to the precinct office opened and in walked Hels. Her usually tidy hair was mussed and her face pale. Those magnificent eyes were dull and had dark smudges underneath, marring her beautiful face. He ached to encircle her in his arms and take away whatever was bothering her, but he knew she would hate for anyone in the office to see any sign of weakness on her part. She’d fought very hard to earn respect on an equal level with the guys on the force. No way would he do anything to endanger that. “You okay, Hels? “ She threw her bag on her desk and plonked down in her chair, her face impassive as she stared at the floor. “Sure. I’m fine.” “You don’t look fine. You look like hell.”

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She shrugged. “Thanks for the compliment.” “Fuck, I didn’t mean it as an insult. Are you getting any sleep?” “My private life hasn’t anything to do with you Dim.” The fuck it doesn’t. “I was only asking because I’m worried about you.” She stood and grabbed her bag, throwing it carelessly over her shoulder. “You don’t have to worry about me anymore. I asked for a transfer.” He could swear his heart stopped dead in his chest. “What?” No, wait. That was good news. Now, they could get together sooner. “I’ve applied for a transfer to the undercover unit on loan to Melbourne.” Melbourne? Fuck. “You can’t go to Melbourne!” “You don’t have any say in it. It’s all arranged. I leave next week.” She headed towards the door, but he stopped her, placing his hand on her shoulder. She looked over her shoulder at his face, her eyes luminous. “No. I won’t let you go.” “You have no say in it, Dim. Go back to your girlfriends. If you’re lucky, you’ll get another partner who’ll listen to all your war stories like I did.” She pushed his hand off her shoulder and walked out the door, not once looking back. Just like that, understanding hit him like an anvil falling on Wile E. Coyote. So that was it. She loved him after all. She just didn’t believe he loved her. He smiled to himself as he picked up the phone and dialled. Suddenly, things were looking up.

Helena choked back her tears as she made her way out of the building. The last few weeks had taken their toll and she was barely hanging on. If she could keep it together until next week, she’d be fine. When her captain had come to her last week with the job offer, she jumped at it. Working side by side with Dim was getting harder to bear every minute she was in his company. Damn the man. Damn her for being such a fool to think he cared more for her than he did. Obviously, she’d been right in her first assumption. He liked her and he liked the sex, but that was as far as it went. Not once since they’d returned from the compound had he said a thing about their relationship. It was ‘good ol’ Hels’ all over again, playing around, joking and listening to his stories of great machismo. She played along with it for her own sanity and also to preserve

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her pride. However, he had caught her in a bad moment, just when she’d heard her transfer was approved, and she’d nearly broken down and told him how she felt. That would have been a disaster. She didn’t doubt him when he said he didn’t want her to leave. He thought of her as a buddy. Well, bad luck. She was doing this for herself. He could go fuck himself. On the drive home, she tried to divert her thoughts towards about all the packing she had ahead of her. She had to let the lease go because her secondment could take anything up to two years. Darn. Good apartments like hers were hard to find. She’d have to tell her family something too. She wasn’t supposed to tell them where she was going for security reasons, but with their nosy natures, her story had to be pretty convincing. The sound of a siren interrupted her thoughts and she saw a patrol car behind her, signalling for her to stop. What the hell was that about? She put her indicator on and pulled over into a side street, finding a space on the median strip. A constable she didn’t recognise ambled over to her window. “Is there a problem officer?” “Sorry, miss, but this car has been reported stolen.” “What? You must have misread the plates, mate. This is my car.” The cop looked unworried by her statement. “Can you prove that, miss?” Annoyed, she leant over and shuffled the papers in her glove box, looking for her registration papers. “Damn. I’m sure my rego stuff is in here somewhere. Will my driver’s licence do?” “Absolutely. Just show it to me and I’ll cross check it with our files.” She handed over her licence and became suspicious when she saw the cop smirk as he turned to return to his patrol car. There was something very fishy about this, but with her licence, they should be able to check her out on their computerised operational policing system in no time at all. That online database was good for some things. Five minutes later, the cop still hadn’t returned with her licence and she was getting mightily pissed off. She burst out of her car and stormed over to the patrol car only to find the two cops laughing, joking about something instead of looking up her details. When they saw her arrive, they both sat up straight in their seats, and the cop who’d spoken to her before picked up her licence and handed it over to her.

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“I was just coming back. We made a mistake. Sorry.” She glared at him, hoping it was intimidating him as much as she intended. “I suppose you realise I’m a police detective and I can have you up on a charge if I was that way inclined.” Both of them looked dismayed by her statement and the talkative one spoke up. “It was just a joke, Detective. Someone at headquarters wanted us to pull you over and keep you occupied for a little while. We’re sorry if we pissed you off. We were just following orders.” Her temper flared from zero to a hundred in a fraction of a second. Dim. The bastard. What was he planning? “Never mind, guys. I think I know who I have to thank for this. You really should think about the time you wasted when you could have been out there finding real stolen cars.” “We’re sorry,” the other cop shouted as she stomped back to her car and fired up the engine. The back wheels spun as the car roared down the street. She had to get home, and fast. If he thinks he can play games with me then he’s got another think coming. Helena drove like a woman possessed, desperate to get home before Dimitri got there so she could lock him out. How dare he play this joke on her? She was barely keeping it together as it was and having this reminder of how he only thought of her as a buddy he could joke around with was outside of enough. No more crap. She was seriously pissed and he was going to find out exactly why. She pulled into the car park and ran up the stairs to her apartment. Fuck. He’d gotten there before her it seemed. Her door was wide open when she stormed in. “What the fuck did you think you were doing, Dim?” The room was empty except for a box of Krispy Kremes on the table. Unable to resist, she lifted the lid and popped one in her mouth. Its sweetness did nothing for her mood however. “Dim? Don’t think you can butter me up me with doughnuts. I’m on to you.” She reached for another one, spying a small envelope with her name on it from the bottom of the box and picked up that instead. Her fingers shook as she opened it. Gasping, she dropped the note to the floor after she read the unexpected words. We share more than donuts, my love…but it’s a start.

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“Dim? Where are you?” She went to the kitchen. No Dim, but there was another envelope on the table. This one had her heart swelling up in hope. We have so much in common… so many good times to look forward to. Tucked inside the note was a pair of tickets to the Sydney Swans football match next week. They often went to the footy together and always had a ball. She smiled, anticipating what else she would find on her impromptu treasure hunt. Not wanting to wait, she headed straight to her bedroom door, only to find it locked with a note attached. Not yet… you must first find one more gift of love. No way. She was sick of waiting. She pounded on the door in exasperation. “Let me in this minute, Dim!” After getting no reply, she placed her ear to the door. All she heard was silence. Jeez, what the hell was he doing in there? She slapped her hand one more time on the door then turned around and leaned against the wood. One more gift? Where the hell would she find something else? She’d been in the main rooms already. Where hadn’t she been? A smile lit her face as she pushed off the door and went through to the bathroom. Of course. The only place she hadn’t checked yet. On the vanity was a small package with another note. Now that I have you, my soul mate, I won’t ever need this again…feel free to flush! “What?” She ripped the paper off the package only to find Dim’s address book. He kept note of all his girlfriends in there. Tears started to pool in her eyes as she realised what he was telling her. “Oh Dim.” Deep in her soul, she wanted to believe what he was telling her. Hope springs eternal, they say, so she’d better take that hope with her and go and find out. She carried the book with her to the bedroom door which was now open. Dim sat cross-legged in the middle of her bed, a pack of cards in front of him. “You want to play a game of poker, Hels? C’mon, kiddo, be daring. Take a punt on me. I’m a sure bet.” She didn’t know what to say. This was so much more than she was expecting, but she had lived in hope for so long he would return her feelings that she was almost too frightened to say anything in case she broke the spell. He looked up at her, his eyes uncertain, but his

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smile was pure heaven. How could she ever resist that dimple? He didn’t have to know that yet though. She moved forward slowly, taking one slow step at a time so she could watch him squirm first. Hell, he deserved to squirm after what he’d put her through the last few weeks. “You didn’t think it might be an idea to let me in on your plans for us before I got myself transferred to Melbourne?” He un-crossed his legs and edged closer to the side of the bed. “I wanted to get all the shit from the case out of the way first.” He stood and faced her. “I was going to suggest a transfer myself, but I never figured on an interstate one.” Helena stopped mid-stride. Huh? What the heck was he saying here? “Come again?” Dimitri leant forward, took hold of her hand and pulled her against his body. She felt his heat seeping through her clothes as well as the hard evidence he still wanted her, at least sexually. “Fuck, I’m an idiot. That didn’t come out right.” He trailed a finger over her forehead to push a wayward curl behind her ear. She shivered at the tingling feeling that smallest of touches evoked. Her voice cracked. “So what did you mean by that exactly?” His warm lips brushed her forehead. “What I meant was that if we aren’t partners at work, we can be partners outside of work.” He continued a trail of light kisses over her eyes and cheeks. When he reached her eager mouth, he stopped and stared into her eyes, his blazing with need. His breath smelt minty, like he’d cleaned his teeth just for her. With a sharp intake of air, she could almost taste him. “Partners?” “Yeah, partners…” And then he kissed her. The earth could have stopped revolving around the sun. The sky might have turned dark and all hell could have broken loose, but they didn’t notice. Unlike the fiery passion of their previous encounters, this kiss was gentle. However, the gentleness was deceiving. She was filled with something unique and was in awe of that feeling. The emotion spilling from his lips seeped into her body, sending wave after wave of pleasure. He was like a drug and she was irrevocably addicted. Out of nowhere a tiny pinch of doubt intruded into her thoughts. She needed to know exactly what he meant before she got carried away and had mind-blowing sex with him again. Fuck, he made her feel things though. Wonderful things. If only she could trust his feelings. It took every ounce

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of her willpower to break contact. Gently placing her hands on his chest, she pushed him away so she could catch her breath. He tried to pull her back to him but she held her palms outwards, warning him to back off. “Not so fast, Dim. We need to get a few things clear first.” “Like what?” God, this guy was dense sometimes. “Like what exactly do you mean by partners outside of work for starters.” Placing a finger under her chin he tilted her face towards his. “I told you I’m not very good at this, Hels, but what I want is for us to be together.” She swallowed. “Yes, I got that. But for how long?” He shook his head and laughed. “I gave you my little black book Hels. I’m not looking for anyone else. I want you with me for the long run.” A little flutter in her chest became a snare drum roll in a microsecond as his words sank in. Holy shit. “You’re not just joshing with me, are you? You know I’ll fry your balls if you mess with me.” He threw back his head and roared with laughter. “That’s one of the things I love about you. You never hold back when you have something to say.” “Wait a minute. What did you just say?” “Never mind what I just said. Let’s get to the fantastic mind-blowing sex part. I want you forever and I need to start now before my dick explodes.” She looked down at his crotch and he was indeed very large in that area. He advanced towards her, but she wasn’t quite satisfied yet, so she backed away, slipping out of his grasp. After five years of longing, she wanted to be really sure of what Dimitri was telling her. “Hey, where are you going?” She backed out the door of the bedroom and headed for the lounge, speaking over her shoulder as she walked. “You have to tell me in simple sentences Dim. I don’t want to have any misunderstandings. What exactly are you saying?” “Fine. You want me to spell it out? I will.” He followed her and sat on the couch. “I love you, Hels. You are my soul mate, my best friend and my lover. When Morpheus had you

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drugged and on that bed, something snapped inside of me and I knew nothing would ever be the same if anything happened to you. “ Hot tears silently trickled down her cheeks as she sat next to him. “Oh, Dim,” was all her choked voice could manage. “Aw shit, Hels, I didn’t mean to make you cry.” He pulled her against his chest and stroked her back. “You haven’t told me your answer.” She lifted her head to look at his face. “My answer?” He smiled and his eyes softened with emotion. “Will you marry me? I can’t even think of ever being with anyone else. Just you. So what’s it to be?” Her hand reached inside his jeans and squeezed. He moaned as she answered him. “Oh yeah. I’ll marry you. Now let’s get to the fantastic mind-blowing sex part.” “I thought you’d never ask.”

About the Author Living in a fantasy world as a child, Maggie was fascinated with telling stories. Whenever she shared her adventures of imaginary friends and saving the world from the bad guys, her mother called it “Romancing." Actually it was more likely a really good ploy to get out of doing chores! Little wonder that after a life spent in many different occupations, Maggie has settled in to writing romance fiction. Her stories range from dark erotic thrillers, to fantasy tales of bondage and submission, to romantic suspense and paranormal. Email: [email protected] Maggie loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at http://www.total-e-bound.com.

Also by Maggie Nash The Master's Prize The Relic

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