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I spoke without looking at Jean…Claude。 〃How have you stood it？ How could you fight the need all this time？〃
〃You are a fledgling； ma petite。 Your control will never be weaker than now。 I have had centuries to practice my control。〃
I made myself stop petting Asher。 But he took my hand as I moved it back and laid a gentle kiss on my knuckles。 Even that small touch made me catch my breath。 My voice came out weak。 〃So you can go without feeding the desire。〃
〃No； ma petite。〃
I turned and stared at him； and Asher rubbed his thumb in small circles on my hand。 I remembered that small touch as precious； a habit he had no matter which of us he held hands with。 〃You said you hadn't fed like this。〃
〃I have had no sex； nor touched anyone in such a plete manner as you have done with Nathaniel。 But I must feed the desire； just as I must take blood。〃
〃What happens if you don't？〃
〃You remember what happened to Sabin when he stopped taking human blood？〃
I nodded。 Asher's thumb continued its small circle on my hand； and it made things low in my body tighten。 〃Sabin started to rot while he was still alive。〃 I stared into Jean…Claude's perfect face。 〃Is that what would happen to you？〃
He sat back on the bed in his black robe。 Jason had moved against the headboard as if watching a show； and Nathaniel still lay on his stomach where I'd left him； watching us with pale eyes。 〃There was a vampire of Belle's lineage who renounced the lust。 He took only animals； as well； and I believe would have rotted as Sabin did； but he did not have the time。 He began to age in a matter of days。 When he was a wizened thing； Belle had him killed。〃
〃But you haven't aged； what have you been doing？〃 It wasn't accusatory。 I simply wanted to know； because I could feel Asher on the end of my hand like something huge and 。。。 like something I couldn't live without。 I'd wanted Nathaniel； I'd wanted Jason； I'd wanted Micah； but not like this。 I think it was Jean…Claude's feelings that made this so much more。
〃It is possible to feed from a distance without touching；〃 Jean…Claude said。
〃That's why a strip club was your first business。 You were feeding off the lust。〃
〃Oui； ma petite。〃
〃Teach me to feed from a distance。〃 Even as I said distance Asher drew my hand to his cheek and rubbed against it like a cat。 I had to close my eyes for a second； but I didn't tell him to stop。
〃Feeding from a distance is a poor substitute for a true feeding。〃
I opened my eyes and stared at him across the room； and now I could feel him。 I could feel his need for blood； sex； love； and the touch of our flesh against his。 He wrapped his arms around his body； as if he were cold； or didn't trust himself not to leave the bed and e to us。
〃Teach me anyway；〃 I said。
〃I cannot； not this soon。 In a few nights I will instruct you； but your control is not 。。。 plete enough yet。〃
I started to say； 〃try me；〃 but Asher drew my finger into his mouth in one long； wet line； and I suddenly couldn't think。
〃e to bed； ma petite；〃 Jean…Claude said。 〃If you feed here； there is a chance you may be sated enough that you will not press our so…stubborn Richard。〃
The thought was enough to dim the desire for a moment or two。 I drew my hand away from Asher； and he didn't protest。 The sheer horror of what I'd be like around Richard with this inside me helped me think。 Being around him normally made me want sex； but now 。。。 〃My God； I'll be lucky if I don't just strip down and do him in the lupanar。〃 I stared at Jean…Claude。 〃What do I do？〃
〃I say again； ma petite； if you feed now off of such rich fare； you may be too full to need to feed again so soon。 It is all I can offer you for tonight。 You could simply delay the meeting for a few nights。〃
I shook my head。 〃They'll kill Gregory。 I have to get him out tonight。〃
〃Then e and feed。〃
〃Define feed？〃
〃Drink their lust；〃 he said。
I looked at Jason and Nathaniel； and they weren't even trying for neutral。 The looks on their faces brought heat in a rush up my face。 I shook my head。
〃You do not have to have intercourse to feed from them； as you have discovered。〃
〃Aww；〃 Jason said； but the look on his face didn't match the light teasing of his voice。 They were responding to my need； the way I'd responded for so long to Jean…Claude's； drawn like a moth to a flame。 You just couldn't help wanting to touch it； even when you knew it would burn。
Asher stood。 〃I will leave you alone。 But with permission； I would feed on Nathaniel as my pomme de sang for the day。〃
〃No；〃 I said。
His eyes widened just a touch； face going neutral； eyes empty and cool as a spring sky。 I felt him draw away from me。 〃As you wish。〃 He turned for the door。
I grabbed his hand； slid my fingers between his。 〃e to bed； Asher。〃
I'd thought his face was as blank and careful as it could get。 I was wrong。 His voice held nothing when he asked； 〃What do you mean？〃
〃I can't give you back what you had。 I can't even give you 。。。 〃 I stopped and tried again。 〃But I can let you feed together again。〃
〃How？〃
〃If Nathaniel says it's okay； you can take blood from him； and Jean…Claude will take blood from Jason。 You can feed together。〃
〃Do you know how intimate a thing it is to feed together on your pomme de sang？ A pomme de sang is not a casual feeding； it is intimate； to be shared only with intimate panions。〃
I entwined my fingers around his hand。 〃I know。〃 I took a step towards the bed； drawing him with me。 〃Let us feed on your lust； Asher； as in days of old。〃
Asher stared past me at Jean…Claude。 〃The last time two fed from my desire； it was Belle and you。〃
〃I remember；〃 Jean…Claude said softly。
He held his hand out to Asher from across the room； and I was reminded of him reaching for Asher all those centuries ago。 〃Let it be again as it was before； but better this time。 Anita loves you as you are now； not as some ideal thing like a butterfly on a pin to be tossed aside if a wing falls away。 e to us； Asher； e to us both。〃
Asher smiled； then took a step to be beside me。 He offered me his arm in a very old…fashioned gesture。 I wanted to take his arm； to have an excuse to rub my body against his as we walked； and that was why I asked； 〃How about the use of your robe； as well as your hand？〃
He gave a low and perfect bow； so low that his hair almost swept the floor。 〃That you had to prompt me to offer you my robe proves I am not a gentleman。〃 He slipped it off as he stood； and held it for me like a coat。 Asher is six feet； so the sleeves hung over my hands and the hem pooled around my feet。 I pushed the sleeves up and got the sash tied； but the only thing to do for the length was just to bundle it in one hand like you would an overly long dress。 But it covered almost every inch of me； and I felt better for it。 The sweet scent of Asher's cologne clung to the robe； and that soft； masculine scent made me turn back to him。 Made my eyes seek him out。 Seeing Asher with no shirt on didn't make me feel better。 I had the urge to caress his bare skin； to lick the scars。 I never remembered being this orally fixated before； and wondered if it was the beast talking or the vampire。 But to ask the question would be to admit the de