Can't Stop Dreaming
Author: Serenity



Can't Stop Dreaming- Prologue
Holding Out For Love

I felt his presence, equal to that of the warm spring breeze that had been moving across the balcony for the last 30 minutes. It struck my back first and then proceeded to cover every inch of my body like a blanket. I knew this feeling, this power. It was real and familiar and made my body ache with desire. I could do nothing more than stand there and absorb it, let it consume me and carry me away to a place where only he and I existed.

A pair of warm hands came to rest on my shoulders, massaging the tense muscles I seemed to have been born with. Only his touch could loosen the never-ending aches in body. My muscles gave under his caress and screamed a silent "thank you" that not even the advance hearing of a Dark-Hunter could hear.

I reached up and took his wrists, grasping them gently and pulling until his arms wrapped around me like a coat. Strength, power and lust. It was thick and gentle and held onto me as tightly as his physical embrace did. I sank into it, against him, slowly sliding down his chest and settling into his arms. These nights were few and far between and I wanted to enjoy every minute of it. Every touch, every kiss, every gesture was more striking then the last; just as it always was with him.

I sighed as I hugged his arms to my body. "I thought you would never get here. Busy night?"

"What else is new?" His voice was soft but carried an edge of annoyance. It had been that way for the last couple of months. The pressure and stress of our present situation was starting to take a toll on him. And me. It was bound to happen, I was just hoping it would be later rather than sooner.

"I wish you didn't have to go through this alone. I want to be with you."

"I know." He tightened his hold on me, pressing me against the wondrous definitions of his chest like he was trying to leave a sketch of them permanently on my back.

"Mmmm, do that again." I said softly.

Deep laughter vibrated in his chest, against my back, as he gave my body another squeeze. I bent my head and brushed my lips against his forearm that was resting over my breasts. I felt his body react to my kiss, tightening for a moment as a contented breath passed his lips and glided over the back of my neck.

"I don't want to discuss it right now." He squeezed me again and then turned me to face him.

I gazed up into his eyes and instantly felt weak and submissive; two traits that never surfaced unless he was around. His warm hands cupped my face. "I just want to be with you." His words were breathy and lustful and caressed my skin like a lovers touch.

I smiled into his eyes. I wanted to ask a whole bunch of questions. Where had he gone? Had he seen her this evening? What had been said and who was accused of what? It involved me as much as it involved him and I wanted to know what was happening so I could better prepare for the later consequences. And there would be consequences, that much I was sure of. But, as I stared at him and the raw need flowing though his eyes I slowly began to forget all the questions I wanted to ask. It didn't matter anymore. If the Fates were to show up right at this moment and tell me that I was playing with death, which would be correct, I was pretty sure I would have ignored their warning. He just had that charm about him, that other-worldly sex appeal that women fawned all over and a way of seducing you to utter extacy with the simplest look. God how I loved this man.

I cupped his neck in my hands, needing to touch his skin so badly it hurt. So warm and inviting he was. I slid my hands up and down the sides of his neck, rubbing his skin slowly until it's already feverish pitch reached a new height. His head fell back for a moment, just long enough for me to pass a touch over his throat and up to his chin. I leaned forward to stop his head from coming back into place and ran my tongue over his throat, licking the delicate skin until a soft growl came sliding out of his mouth. "Make love to me," I whispered. I licked him again and suckled his adams apple into my mouth, holding it between my lips like a piece of delicious hard candy.

He mimicked my movements. His hot hands cupped my neck like a choker and slid up and down my skin. When they fell downward 10 smooth fingers expertly skid underneath the collar of my satin robe and pushed the garment off my shoulders. The slick material instantly fell down my body. His hands followed, pushing the robe down my arms until my entire top half was bare and exposed to him. His gaze was hungry and animalistic as he cupped my breasts, rubbing them gently into his palms and using his thumbs to bring my nipples to hard peaks.

My body spasmed to life under his tender touch and I wanted more. I had started the evening out with an intention to go slow, to explore him again and again and to let him return the favor until we were both physically unable to do anymore. But as he stroked me, teased me, I knew I would never be able to hold onto control long enough to carry out my plan. I wanted him. Now. No foreplay, no dirty limericks of romantic comments. Just him inside of me, riding my body, loving me all night long in ways only he could.

I hissed as he dipped his head and rained deep, opened mouthed kisses over my bare shoulders. My knees wobbled. I was finding it very difficult to stand on my own.

He must of understood my situation. In one movement his lips connected to mine and he swept me up into his arms. I clung to him tight, running my fingers through his perfectly soft curtain of black hair as our tongues danced a silent waltz to music that didn't play. We had always been capable of making our own music. I yanked at his long trench coat, getting if off his shoulders before he collapsed me onto my bed. He shrugged the coat off and rose above me enough so that I could rid him of his t-shirt as well. I grabbed his shoulders fiercely and brought his body down on mine. "I love you," I said. I leaned up and kissed him, deep and long until breathing became a problem. "No matter what happens I'll always love you with all my heart. Promise me you'll remember that when all hell finally breaks loose."

He smiled down at me, a warm smile that I could feel all the way down to my toes. "I love you, too." He leaned down to kiss me again but I stopped him.

"Promise me." I repeated. I needed to hear the words before we went any further.

"I promise."

Hours later, as the beginning of a new day peaked above the horizon, we finally called it quits, too exhausted to do anymore. I had lost count of how many times we had made love. All I remember was that it had been incredible and had not stopped the entire time unless we found a new place in my bedroom to move to. My settee cushions were scattered all over the floor, my bed sheets were in disarray and tangled around our intertwined limbs and there was even a few things that had gotten broken. Housekeeping had just been here this afternoon. I was going to need it again tomorrow instead of the usual every other day.

I was in bed, on my back, with him laying next to me. He slept peacefully with his head on my shoulder and his arms handcuffed around my body. I smiled at him softly and stroked his hair, letting the soft strands slide between my fingers. He needed this sleep so badly. My body was pleasantly sore and spent from our constant love making and I was tired. Night would be here again soon and I would be heading out to fulfill my obligations as a Dark-Huntress. But I didn't want to sleep. I wanted to stay awake all day just so I could watch him sleep, feel his warm breath on my skin and the weight of his body. There was no way of knowing when this would have to stop so until then I wanted to take in as much of him as I possibly could.

I stoked the arm he had laying across my chest and pressed my lips ever so lightly against his forehead. Softly, I sang to him one of the many songs I had written since we had met. He had told me before that it helped him to sleep.

You know we take those twists and turns
Never learn. Goin on.
Takes so long to find all the passion we need
Look what we have
Don't wanna be two worlds apart
Loving hearts stay alive
Strong survive
Just matters what we both feel.

I watch the time go by.
I swear now baby I...
Have never been so sure of my heart,
so close to my dreams.

That's why I hold on
I'm holding out for love
There's only one I'm dreaming of
That's why I hold on
Holding out for love
But will that one heart wait for me

A couple more verses and I finiahed the song. Seconds after the last note had left my mouth his arms tightened around me, pulling me closer. He cuddled himself into my side and brushed the sweetest of kisses on my shoulder. "Again. Sing for me again." he said, his voice heavy with sleep.

Tears stung my eyes. How could I ever let him go? Then again, you'd be surprised what you can do when you have no other choice.



Chapter 1 (What's In Your World)

I lay in bed, all alone, cold and anxious to be warmed by a heat that only he could provide. There had been no promises of a visit tonight but I was remaining hopeful. Visits had become few and far between and it didn't take a genius to realize that we were slowly drifting apart. We both knew what was coming and that it was on it's way here by lightning speed. But, we still had yet to talk about it. I was beginning to doubt we ever would. Then again, there had never been a whole lot of in depth conversation between the two of us. He had his secrets and I had mine. Over the years we had just learned to except that about one another but unspoken between us was the fact that we both wanted answers. But, it looked like that wasn't going to happen. Now, our time together was growing short. The rules hadn't changed and for the first time since I had met him I had the urge to start asking questions and demanding answers. Not because I was being nosy, but because I may never get the! opportunity again. There was so many things I wanted to know and share with him before cut off time was upon us but once again, I loved him too much to upset him with uncomfortable, painful conversations.

But this was different. I didn't want to spend eternity haunted by the things I wanted to know. I wanted him to let me share in his happiness, give me a chance to love the things he loved and know him just as anyone in love with him would. I just couldn't see how that was too much to ask. More than once he had told me that I would always be a part of his life. What life? I knew nothing outside of his feelings for me. On that note, he had never given me a reason to question him. Only love him more every day. I knew I shouldn't ask him anything. It was unfair and possibly dangerous to rock the boat we had been floating in for several centuries.

It was the pain talking and thinking for me. As the days passed I found myself becoming more and more scared. Scared of loosing him and being alone for the rest of my existence. Now, my head was coming up with all this stuff that was completely out of character. I now wanted to talk so that I could take more of him to my heart before our time came to an end. Truth be said, in our situation, our love was so strong that it had made up for all things unsaid. We'd never felt the urge to rehash the past and relive the pain and turmoil. We'd stayed happy by concentrating on each other rather than the things we couldn't change. Until now it had more than enough. Now, I was being faced with my greatest fear and it was changing everything I had become accustomed to and comfortable with.

Tears stung my eyes at the very instant the bedroom door opened. I relaxed and held perfectly still. Why bother? He probably knew I was awake. Hell, he probably knew I had tears in my eyes despite the fact that I was turned away from him. I could never hide much from him and eventually I stopped trying.

I stayed still and listened to the soft movement behind me, whisper light shuffling and the extremely faint sound of breath leaving his mouth. I was going to miss even those simple noises. The blankets were lifted from behind me, the mattress moved and sunk in and finally a warm, familiar body spooned in against me. I sighed and the tears brimming in my eyes fell down my cheeks, simultaneously. Every perfect inch of his front pressed into my back, warming me instantly and bringing me out of a cold that could only be defeated by a true lover's touch. I reached back, found his hand and brought his arm around my body. I took his hand in mine, kissed his palm and then each fingertip. I wanted to pull him all over me, strap myself around him and never let go.

"Why the tears, love?" He asked in a whisper against my ear. I shivered as his lips touched my lobe ever so lightly, like he meant it to be a kiss but didn't quite make it so.

"You knew I was crying?"

"Your tears are on my hand. It kind of tipped me off."

I smiled to myself and pressed my lips into his palm, speaking against his soft skin. "I never could hide from you."

"Have you ever tried?"

"A few times but I didn't always succeed. You're the master of that."

"I got a little sluggish." I felt his body instantly tense when those words left his mouth.

I rubbed his arm, stroking his skin slowly until he relaxed again. He pulled himself closer to me, like those words were more frightening to him than the Daimons we fought on a nightly basis. I guess inner demons were scarier than things that went bump in the night. I would even agree with that if I was to be asked which terrified me more.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not especially." He nuzzled the back of my neck and dropped a tender kiss on my shoulder. When I didn't respond he stopped and became still again. "What's wrong, Ciera?"

"Nothing."

"You're lying."

I fought against more tears. This was not how I intended this to go. I dried my cheeks with the back of my hand and turned over onto my back. His arms instantly cradled me, holding me close to him and leaving only enough space to breathe comfortably. His beauty, what I saw in his eyes, made my heart want to crumble in a thousand pieces. There was so much love in him. He had so much to give and it killed me to know that it was all trapped inside him, locked up and the keys had sunk to the bottom of the ocean. Lost forever.

He touched my cheek with the tips of his fingers. "Has something happened, love?"

"Not yet. But it will."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "I'm getting the feeling that you want to talk about it."

"Yes and no."

"What do you mean?"

I swallowed once and took a deep breath. "I don't know what's wrong me. I guess I'm thinking too much."

"Thanking about what?"

"You. Everything that we've been through together. And," I swallowed again. "How little I know about your life."

His body went stiff and I suddenly wished I had kept my mouth shut. "I could say the same about you."

Now it was my turn to go stiff. At that moment I realized just how much of my past I had kept from him. What right did I have making demands on him when I had been no better? I'd spent years dodging questions about my family, unwilling to share even a simple name with him. Hell, he still didn't know my true age or birthplace. I was just as bad as he was and yet I was actually thinking of being a demanding little wretch. "Never mind. Just forget I said anything."

"Oh no you don't. I want to know where this is coming from. I thought you were happy with this arrangement."

"I have been. I swear to you that I don't regret a thing about us. It's just that now," I swallowed a sob as I gazed into his eyes. "I don't know how much more time we have and I'm getting scared."

His body relaxed and his eyes became a soft reflection of my own. That gaze melted my heart and tugged at it hard. "First off, did something happen I should know about?"

"No. I haven't seen him in a while but I just know it won't be long."

"And now you want to try and get in conversation before the bomb drops."

I nodded. "It was a thought."

He smiled softly and brushed my hair back from my face. "I know what you're thinking. And to be honest, I've thought about it too. But," he bent his head closer to mine. "I don't want to ruin what time we have left with that stuff."

"Are you sure you're not saying that because you just plain don't want to talk."

"Of course not. I just don't want the last things I say to you to be horrible. If I grant your request I'll never forgive myself for leaving such an image in your mind. Can you understand that?"

I gave it a quick thought. As usual, he was right. "Yes. I think I can."

His eyes narrowed again only this time there was a hint of teasingly luscious amusement. "You still sound uncertain."

"I am but that doesn't mean I don't understand." I reached up and brushed his cheek with my knuckles. He nuzzled his lips into my palm, kissing it gently. I dropped my hand down his body and covered the heartbeat in his chest. "Can I?" I asked. My heart pounded so hard I swore it would burst through my chest. I had never ASKED this of him. I'd only done it once and he had invited it. To a certain degree this act I had asked to perform was an invasion of privacy and I'd always considered it rude of me to ask it. Once again, fear and pain were taking over and making me do things I was usually against.

"Go ahead." His eyes were soft as he said it. I let out a breath I hadn't even known I was holding and called my power. I had to hurry before he changed his mind, which was highly possible and not out of character for him. The hand I had over his heart turned hot as my palm contracted and practically pulled the beat into my hand. A deep, moan fell from his lips. Pleasure, calm and comfort. "Would you sing for me?"

I didn't even have to think twice about that request. I cupped the back of his neck and pulled him to me until his cheek slid against mine. We were like two cats showing each other affection. I moved my face against his slowly and sang.

Tell me what world you're living in
I'm trying so hard to understand
Searching my soul just to find any line
That connects me to whatever you are hiding Remember how we used to be
We shared the best baby, the best of everything
Now it seems like we're slowly drifting apart
Tell me when did we stop communicating
Heat to heart

A warm, warm rush of heat fell over my body, blanketing me in the emotional rush that radiated from him. I bathed myself in his feelings and he let me. Love and pain caressed me in waves that shamed the ocean at high tide. I felt him, his feelings, as surely as I felt the pleasure that my power could provide. His face grew calm and dreamy as I explored his heart, looked as deep into him as he would allow and wrapped us both in his love. My power was like an insurance policy, guaranteed, for people in question about their true feelings. You could deny your feelings all you wanted, but you could never hide them or stop feeling them. They were always inside and no matter how far down you pushed them my power could always find them.

CHORUS:
What's In Your World
What'cha trying to hide from me
I can't fight what I can't see
I need to know what's going on
What's In Your World
Standing here with a broken heart
Trying to stop before I start
Falling all over again
Baby I need to know, I need for you to show
What's In Your World

His emotions mixed with the feel of his body pressed to mine were making my head spin. I had to stop singing. "It's been so long since we've done this." I breathed.

He raised his head. It was rare that I saw him this calm, almost vulnerable. ALMOST. He spoke against my lips, lightly brushing them. "You can feel what's in my heart when I'm with you. That's all you need to know. Everything else can wait."

"I feel the pain too, my love. You try to hide it but I can feel it." I reached up and brushed his cheek with my knuckles.

"I know you can." He removed my hand, releasing his heartbeat back into his chest. The power induced heat faded and his emotions were his again, only his. "That means you know that there is pain. A lot of it. It's all the more reason why I don't want to tell you."

"You wouldn't have to bare it alone."

"You think you can fix the past?"

"No, but I can try and make the future a little less painful."

"You say that but you don't know it for sure. Sometimes talking helps."

He smiled at me, softly. "Sometimes. But those times don't come to me. It's no one's fault."

I sighed. "I know. It's just how you are."

"I have no wish to spend our remaining time together that way." His lips captured mine and left me with the knowledge and feel of truly tender kiss; one that you would taste for days and remember forever. "You give me things I was sure I'd never have. Ciera, what we have is pure because we haven't tainted it with horrid thoughts and words. With you it's just love, nothing else. And, I don't want to lose that. Not now. Not ever if I can help it."

If I would of heard that little speech from anyone else I would have questioned the motive; interpreted it as a well-thought-out, suave plea to get me to drop the subject. But, I knew him better than that and I had felt what was inside. He was being serious, dead serious.

I cupped his face in my hands. "Come here."

A calm, surreal look spread across his face before he captured my lips again. The kiss was soft and gentle but still managed to make my body violently shake from the intensity. I put my hands on his shoulders and pushed him onto his back, switching our positions. I reached down between our bodies until I grasped his erection. After all this time it still amazed me that some skin contact and a few kisses could get us both so hot for each other. It didn't take much.

His kisses grew deeper and more urgent as I stroked him and guided him inside me. I broke the kiss then because breathing was becoming a crucial problem. I put my hands on either side of his head and arched my body, taking him as deep inside me as I could.

He growled low in his throat as he grasped my hips. His hands helped to steady me while my body stroked his, slowly, moving up until he was a breath away from leaving me and then down to take him in again. We moved in perfect time with each other. Always had.

I looked down into his eyes. "I do understand. I really do." I bent my head and kissed him. Our tongues danced and caressed each other as he grasped my hips a bit harder, impaling me on him as though he would make us one forever. I whimpered against the sharp pleasure and moved with him as he came to a sitting position. Once again he helped guide my body up and down his, faster and deeper with each trust. I broke from his lips and screamed his name as my body spasm and climaxed. The tightness that consumed him brought him instantly, making him cling to me until we were calm but still shaking.

Still buried inside me he held me close and rubbed my back. "I love you."

I closed my eyes and held tight to him. "I love you, too." So much it hurt.

What was I going to do? Just the thought of being without him choked the breath from me. What was I going to be when it actually happened?

I'm not ready to walk away from you, oh no
Unless you say it's over and done I know
I'll do what I gotta do
It's time to remind you that love's on the line
So baby say what your gonna say
But if you're gonna walk away
Tell me

CHORUS:
I'm not sure you understand
That a man must be a man
I've got so many promises to keep
Baby, I'm in too deep
I can't see the other side
Baby all I want to do is satisfy
How can I give you what you need
If you're not telling me

CHORUS



TO BE CONTINUED...........

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