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The Bet
By mel

Chapter 1

Erica Randal looked over at her sister and her girlfriend who were comfortably spooning on the couch – happy that, for now, the pair was at least trying to watch the movie that Jenks had picked for their weekly foray into the lands of a Rockwellian family unit. She smiled to herself as she watched Ivy relax into Rachel, smiled at the contented look that graced her sister's face as the redhead's arm that was already draped over her waist flexed and pulled her in tighter.

Erica should have known that such 'good behavior' wasn't going to last too long.

Ivy moaned softly as she felt Rachel's fingers deftly slide under the hem of her shirt, felt the muscles in her lower stomach clench wonderfully as the witch began slowly tracing small, random, patterns on her skin. She sighed blissfully as Rachel leaned in and tenderly nuzzled the back of her neck, the feeling of the redhead's warm breath dancing across her nape knocked the breath right out of her. Ivy unconsciously arched back into Rachel's touch, and was rewarded with a soft throaty chuckle and Rachel pressing more firmly into her back. The soft press of Rachel's breasts against her back and the enveloping scent of redwood and amber simultaneously soothed and aroused her.

The hand that Rachel had slipped under her shirt began stroking its way up her stomach in slow teasing motions, and when the back of the hand brushed against the bottom of her breast the jolt of electricity that shot through her was enough to make her heart skip a beat. The feeling of the redhead's thigh pushing up between her legs as they quietly pressed themselves into the other, the movie long forgotten, had her heart racing. Their slow movements were fraught with a silent desperation and a need for more that made every touch an unfulfilled promise that sent a hot wave of desire crashing through her system as every nerve-ending in her body seemed to come to life – demanding to be touched, needing to be tenderly caressed.

Even though Erica didn't know the details of everything that her sister had been through at the hands of their old master, she did know that Ivy had been through hell and back and that she more than deserved this little slice of happiness that life had finally decided to serve up to her. Erica knew all this – hell, she'd wished upon every wishing star she could find that someday Ivy would look this happy again – but it was one thing to wish for your sister's every dream to come true, and yet another to have to sit and witness it.

"Christ V," Erica muttered softly, knowing full-well that her sister could hear her just as clearly as she could smell the growing arousal of the two women cuddling on the couch. "It's freaking 300, not some lovey-dovey chick-flick. Cool it already."

Ivy smiled at her sister and placed her hand on top of Rachel's. She turned to capture the redhead's lips in a slow, deep, lingering kiss that left them both grinning like fools and gasping for air. "Later," Ivy murmured into Rachel's lips, slowly tracing her tongue over the kiss-swollen flesh.

"Mmmm," Rachel smiled, pressing her thigh up into her girlfriend's center promisingly before pulling her hand out from under Ivy's shirt. "Kay, later."

Erica chuckled and shook her head disbelievingly. "Goddamn. You two are like rabbits, you know that? I bet you couldn't go two weeks without doing it."

This statement was enough to pull Jenks' focus away from the bloody battle being played out on the screen and onto the other people in the room with him. "What are you talking about?"

"Them," Erica waved at her sister and Rachel. "They were just about to get it on while we were all in the same damn room. It's ridiculous."

"We're not that bad," Ivy argued.

"Yes. You are," Jenks laughed.

"No we're not," Rachel jumped in.

"Fine," Erica grinned. "Care to make a little wager on that?"

"Sure," Rachel answered challengingly.

"What?" Ivy asked.

"Two weeks. I bet you guys can't go two weeks without jumping each other," Erica dared.

"Sure we could," Rachel answered.

"Um, Rache," Ivy murmured. "Dear Heart, a fortnight is a really long time. I can't hold out that long."

Rachel was about to argue, but the vampire's need was obvious in her eyes. They were already black as sin, and they hadn't really done more than just kiss. "You're right," Rachel murmured, before returning her attention to the younger vampire. "We couldn't go that long. A week. Maybe. Tops."

"Rachel, what the hell are you doing?" Ivy hissed. "I don't even want to wait until the end of this gore-fest of a movie to tear these goddamn clothes off you and run my tongue over your…."

"V," Erica chastised. "We can hear you."

Rachel shot a placating smile at Erica. "Erica, chill. Iv, we're not animals. I'm sure we can control ourselves for a few days."

Erica and Jenks grinned victoriously. "Fine," Jenks laughed, and Erica nodded her agreement. "We bet you can't go one week without sex."

"What are we betting?" Rachel asked.

Ivy's eyes widened as she realized that Rachel really was seriously considering taking her sister up on her stupid offer. "Rache, what are you doing?"

Sensing blood in the water, Erica pounced. "If you two win I'll give you the beach house for the fourth of July," she said, referring to their parent's now radically underused secluded property on the coast of Lake Erie. Both sisters had wanted to use the small cottage for their own holiday celebrations, but as Ivy and Rachel had visited more recently Erica had been awarded the house for the weekend.

This got Ivy's attention. She had long fantasized of making love to Rachel on the orgy-sized bed in the screened-in porch while the fireworks from the near-by town were setting the sky aflame in color.

"And what do you want if you win?" Ivy asked.

Erica and Jenks shared a mischievous look. "If we win, Rachel has to make Jenks big again and we're all going to go out to Howl," Erica said, referring to the local dueling piano bar. "Ivy, you'll have to play the piano for two songs – one that Rachel sings, and one that Jenks sings. And I get to choose Rachel's song."

"Sounds good to me," Rachel grinned, thinking that (should they lose, which they wouldn't) the cost of the curse to transform Jenks would be more than worth the opportunity to watch Ivy play on stage. "Baby, what do you think?"

Ivy thought that there was no way in hell she was going to get up on stage and play for a crowd of people, but she wasn't going to back down from the three grinning faces looking at her expectantly.

"Fine, but we're not losing," she told her sister with a challenging grin before turning her attention to the witch still snuggled in tightly behind her. "And just so you know, Dear Heart, for getting us into this ridiculous wager," she husked, her voice dropping, "when this week of self-imposed chastity is up you are going to get so thoroughly fucked that you're not going to be able to climb out of bed on your own."

Rachel's eyes rolled back in her head a bit at that. "Oh-oh-kay."

"Goody," Erica clapped her hands happily, making a great effort to ignore the way Rachel's body responded to her sister's threat?, promise?, whatever. "So, here are the rules. No sex for seven days."

"Kissing?" Rachel asked.

"Hell yeah," Ivy growled. "I'm not giving that up too."

"Okay," Jenks laughed. "Kissing is legal, but touching of any kind beyond first base you horn-dogs – that includes any body part, not just your hands … don't think we didn't see where you snuck that thigh to Rache," he sniggered indelicately.

"The week start when?" Ivy asked.

"Right now," Erica chuckled. "That should make it really interesting with the state you're already worked up into, eh sis?"

Ivy took a deep, shuddering breath. Somehow she knew that Erica would dictate that this ridiculous wager start tonight.

"Fine," she growled, sitting up and scooting over to the opposite side of the couch from Rachel. She knew that resisting the redhead would be easier if they weren't pressed up against each other, the lengths of them rubbing together, the heat and the friction everywhere they touched…. "Fuck," she murmured as a fresh wave of arousal settled at the juncture of her thighs. "This is going to be a long ass seven days."

Chapter 2

Ivy opened her eyes to find the late morning sun burning through the gaps in the curtains to paint streaks of golden light across the ceiling of her usually dark bedroom. The sun, that must have been what had woken her up. Rachel must not have pulled the shades closed tight before they climbed into bed last night.

Rachel.

Last night.

God, that ridiculous wager.

Ivy pressed the heels of her palms to her eyes as she replayed the previous evenings events in her mind. The identical taunting, knowing, smirks painted on Erica and Jenks' faces. They knew that Rachel and Ivy didn't stand a chance. Temporary insanity – that must have been what had possessed her to agree to their crazy terms.

"Kissing is legal, but no touching of any kind beyond first base you horn-dogs – that includes any body part, not just your hands …"

What had she been thinking agreeing to that one? Just kissing? Hell, since Rachel had finally come around they'd almost never stopped at just kissing. Even temporary insanity wasn't close to being a good enough excuse for what had happened. Christ. If anyone knew better than to bet against a pixie in league with a vampire, it was her.

"That should make it really interesting with the state you're already worked up into, eh sis?"

Ivy groaned at the memory. If only Erica knew. It took twenty minutes in an ice cold shower for her to regain control of herself last night. Rachel Morgan, bless her heart, was extraordinarily addictive. And, now that she'd had a taste of the fiery redhead (in every sense of the word), she was absolutely helpless to resist her.

Ivy arched her back slowly as she stretched carefully, trying to not jostle the bed too much as she stared at the ceiling and tried desperately to ignore the rhythmic breathing emanating from the vivacious witch who was still comatose beside her. The witch who, despite that crazy promise of abstinence, had still insisted on going to bed in the buff.

"Iv, we're not animals. I'm sure we can control ourselves for a few days."

"Yeah, speak for yourself," Ivy muttered darkly, the first stirrings of arousal coursing through her body as she took in the tantalizing sight of Rachel spread across more than her fair share of their bed. Black satin sheets tangled around the redhead's toned waist leaving the top half of her body deliciously exposed and waiting – no, begging for attention.

On any other morning, she would have already captured the pert nipple that was practically taunting her between her lips as she slowly flicked her tongue over it bringing both it and her love alive. She could easily picture in her mind the way Rachel would awaken, hair tousled from sleep, green eyes growing dark as they took in the sight of her…. damn. This week of abstinence was going to be hard.

Shit.

Difficult. That's better. Even a seemingly innocent word like 'hard' had her squeezing her legs together. And all this was because of Rachel.

Rachel. Damned if it always didn't come back to that crazy redhead. What the hell had she been thinking taking those two up on their insane bet? Sometimes that girl is just too competitive for her own good. Crazy, impulsive, adorable Rachel.

Mmmm, Rachel.

Fuck.

Mmmm, yes – fucking Rachel.

No!

Mmmm, yessssssss!

Hell, now she couldn't even swear without her thoughts turning immediately to porn. Stupid juvenile bet.

"Fine, but we're not losing…And just so you know Rache, for getting us into this ridiculous wager, when this week of self-imposed chastity is up you are going to get so thoroughly fucked that you're not going to be able to climb out of bed on your own."

Christ. It was all she could do to not put her hands over her ears to try and drown out the sound of her ridiculously ill-placed bravado. She hurled a string of silent insults at the still peacefully sleeping witch for stealing her self-control along with her heart. She was not a slave to her nature. She could control herself. She was Ivy Tamwood dammit! And Ivy Tamwood is the physical embodiment of control.

Rachel moaned softly in her sleep causing the vampire's eyes to cross.

Okay, strike that.

Ivy Tamwood was the physical embodiment of self-control. Past tense. Because, she had to admit as she desperately fought the losing battle to control her arousal, it was sure as hell gone now. Poof. Hasta la vista, baby. Fuck.

Mmmm.

No. Dammit! Control, Tamwood, control!

Jesus. What the hell had she been thinking?

Sure, she had agreed to the terms of the bet out of pride – but now that they had a very real wager in play she was beginning to think that she honestly did not give a damn if she and Rachel lost the stupid thing. She could get up and play the piano in front of a crowd of people – hell, after a few drinks it might even be fun. Right? Right. And Rachel sure didn't shirk from the idea of doing that black curse to make Jenks big again.

But, she wanted the use of that beach house. She desperately wanted to ravish Rachel on that big bed while the Fourth of July fireworks lit up the sky. Seven days was an insanely long time to hold out, especially if Rachel was walking around tripping her instincts at random times where she wasn't prepared to ignore them. She was, quite thankfully, out of practice at the whole ignoring Rachel thing. Her own arousal she could maybe keep in check with lots of cold showers, but she knew she wasn't strong enough to fight the redhead's arousal as well.

What she needed was a plan. A plan to help her get through the week.

Think Tamwood. When are you most in control of yourself? When you're in control of your situation. So, how do you control Rachel's emotions without pulling an aura (which was a definite no-no)? A deliciously wicked smile creased her face as the answer became clear. You tease her when you're most ready to resist. Not necessarily nice, but Rachel did agree to the stupid bet first - she deserved a little retribution for landing them in this situation, right?

Still smiling, Ivy carefully climbed out of bed and headed off to the bathroom to shower – it was the first day of what was going to be a very exciting week.

Chapter 3

Rachel awoke to the sound of running water. Mmm, Ivy must be in the shower, she thought happily to herself, easily picturing the statuesque vampire standing under the beating spray, head thrown back and thin rivulets of water running haphazardly down her body, over and around her breasts, past stiff delicious nipples and down her flat stomach to those beautiful soft dark curls…

"Ungh. Maybe this bet wasn't a good idea," she mumbled to herself as she closed her eyes and firmly pressed the heels of her palms into the sockets, desperately trying to push the mental image of Ivy, her beautifully naked Ivy, in the shower out of her mind.

"Damn," she muttered, throwing back the sheet that had slipped down to her waist and climbing out of bed.

She hastily pulled on a pair of black running shorts, again thinking that it might be good to one day use them as running shorts and not just comfortable lounging around clothes during these muggy summer months, and grabbed a tank out of the open drawer of their dresser before padding barefoot down the hall toward the kitchen.

Coffee. That's what she needed. A strong cup of coffee to help her wake up and find the energy to heave her mind out of the gutter. And maybe something to eat. Yeah, she most definitely needed to eat.

Mmm, Ivy pushed back on the island with those insanely long, incredibly sexy legs wrapped around my neck, sweat beading on her skin as she moans and writhes under me as I … Shit. No! No. Not eat. Food. Yes. What she needed was food. And coffee. Coffee and food.

"You okay Rache?" Ivy's quiet voice broke into her consciousness. "You've got the weirdest look on your face right now and you're making funny little noises. Are you sick?"

"No," Rachel murmured, an embarrassed blush setting her face aflame. "I'm fine. I'm just … um, thinking."

Ivy chuckled softly as she took in the redhead's flushed face and perky nipples poking through the thin material of her shirt. It wasn't too hard to figure out what, exactly, Rachel had been thinking about. Cold shower be damned – so much for the whole controlling the situation plan, the state the witch had worked herself up into already had her libido up and running again.

"Don't think too much Rache," Ivy drawled, giving her head a quick shake to knock all porn-related thoughts out of the forefront. She definitely needed to get the witch's mind on less intimate ideas before she lost all self-control and just took the redhead right there on the kitchen counter. Not that kitchen sex wasn't fun, but they were in the middle of that stupid bet. "You know," she continued dryly, "that's not really your thing, Dear Heart."

Thankfully, this little barb got the exact reaction Ivy had been hoping for.

"Hey! We can't all be psychotically anal-retentive planners with a wicked color-coded post-it-note OCD streak!"

Ivy quite wisely chose to ignore Rachel's little rant, and just smiled a silent touché at her love as she crossed the kitchen to pull the carton of orange juice out of the door. She considered for only a moment getting a glass from the cupboard before she opted to completely skip any pretense of formailities and just started chugging the acidic juice straight out of the box.

Oh thank god this little trick still works, she thought as the sharp tang of the juice filled her mouth and nostrils, effectively blocking the scent of Rachel's arousal and soothing the faint ache of need blossoming in her gums. Now if I could only get the picture of Rachel's tits out of my mind I'd be fucking great.

Of course, it the moment Ivy took a second giant swig that Jenks decided to make his appearance.

"Good morning ladies!" he boomed. "So, are you ready to give up yet?"

"Not yet Jenks," Rachel muttered as Ivy choked on her juice. The vampire had been so focused on trying to get her mind off of Rachel's boobs that she had not heard the pixie approaching.

"You okay Ivster?" Jenks cackled as Ivy gasped and spluttered. "You haven't already gone tribal on Rachey here have you?"

"Funny, bug," Ivy drawled, closing the carton of juice and setting it back on the top shelf in the fridge. She took a deep breath before looking over at Rachel, and damned if her stomach didn't clench as those headlights ran her over. Mmm. Yummy.

"Earth to Ivy," Jenks teased.

Ivy moved her gaze off of Rachel's rack and onto the annoying pixie flitting around the kitchen. "What do you want Jenks?" she growled.

"You seem a little on edge there Iv-meister," he grinned. "Please, don't keep holding out on my part – you know how much I love singing for an audience. "

Ivy laughed out loud, thankful – for a change – for Jenks' teasing. His little barbs were enough to ground her thoughts and bring her back to herself.

"Why would I give up?" she drawled, a devious smile stretching her face as she put an extra strut into her step as she moved across the kitchen to where Rachel was standing.

"Hey," Rachel breathed as Ivy's hands tenderly cupped her face.

Ivy smiled, leisurely sidling herself in closer, making sure to casually brush the fly of her jeans against Rachel's mound. An admittedly sneaky move on her part, but she figured that it was still well within the given parameters of their bet given the lack of protest from Jenks. "Hey yourself," she murmured, leaning in and capturing Rachel's lips in a slow, sensual, searing kiss.

Rachel reflexively relaxed into the vampire's embrace, her arms finding their own way around Ivy's waist without a second thought (or even a first, really) as she pulled the vampire to her firmly. She moaned loudly when Ivy's tongue began slowly tracing across her lower lip begging entrance, no longer surprised at how that small touch could create such large ripples of desire in her. She slowly slid one hand up Ivy's back to pull the onyx haired goddess in closer still as her lips eagerly parted to allow the vampire's probing tongue access.

Turn take it this woman can kiss, Rachel thought dreamily as she gave herself over to the feeling of firm, pliant, silky smooth lips moving against hers, reveling in the extraordinary sensations they were evoking. Her pulse was thundering in her ears, what breath she was able to catch was definitely coming fast and shallow, her arousal was pooling rather embarrassingly fast between her legs, and she more than completely forgot about the little agreement she had foolishly agreed to the night before as she moved to grab Ivy's ass possessively.

Aaaaand, now it's time to stop this madness, Ivy thought, more than a little resignedly, as she canted her hips away from Rachel's wandering hand and slowly pulled away from the kiss.

"Wha…?" Rachel started to ask, lifting her face to look at her girlfriend.

Ivy chuckled softly as she ran a tender thumb over the adorable redhead's cheek. "You made that ridiculous wager, Dear Heart," she murmured, a small smile of satisfaction tweaking her lips as she took in Rachel's flushed cheeks and lust darkened eyes. "Kissing only. No touchy-grabby. You don't want to go and lose this thing on the first day do you?"

Rachel rolled her eyes and sighed – rather dramatically, Ivy thought, for somebody who agreed to such an outrageous bet in the first place.

"No," Rachel muttered dejectedly. "I don't want to lose. At all. And, especially not on the first day."

Ivy smiled and laid a chaste kiss on her lover's already kiss-swollen lips. "Good. I told Erica I'd meet her for a coffee this afternoon, so I'll be back in a couple hours – 'kay?"

"Mmm-hmm," Rachel answered absently, her mind already focused on the cold shower awaiting her down the hall.

Ivy leaned back in her chair as she sipped at her iced coffee, only half listening to Erica prattle on about whatever was happening at her school. Her mind was still back in her kitchen. With Rachel. With worked up Rachel and her bodacious ta-tas. Mmm.

"Earth to Ivy," Erica chuckled as she noticed the way her sister's eyes had glazed over. "Now, where's your mind at big sister?"

Ivy smiled and offered a small, unapologetic shrug as she took another small pull from her straw. "Home."

"Figured as much," Erica grinned. "You know, I honestly can't believe she agreed to that stupid bet. And that you let her, V! What were you thinking?"

Ivy shook her head and set her cup down on the small metal table. "I wasn't thinking, E. She was all gung-ho about it and then you offered up the prize, and you guys started going after my pride …," her voice trailed off as she ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know what the fuck happened, but I really want the beach house."

"Well," Erica laughed as she pushed her chair back and stood. "Good luck with that one. You know Jenks is going to be doing random fly-arounds to make sure you two are behaving yourselves."

"Yeah, I figured as much," Ivy smiled in spite of herself.

"I gotta go and meet Dane at the university, you gonna be okay?"

Ivy nodded as her phone buzzed with an incoming text. "Yeah E, I'm cool. There's only like, what? A little less than six and a half days left… right?"

"But who's counting, right?" Erica countered, still laughing. "I'll catch ya later V, how about we all do an impromptu movie night tomorrow?"

"We can do that," Ivy agreed somewhat distractedly as she opened up the text message on her phone. "See you tomorrow."

Cold showers suck. XO R

Ivy laughed and shook her head as she started typing. Tell me about it, how do you think I survived last night? ;p V

Still want you tho. Stupid bet.

Ivy rolled her eyes. Um, yeah.

BTW – we need more cold water.

LMFAO!

Smartass.

Ivy smiled and decided a little more fun wouldn't hurt, right? If you didn't make that bet I'd've already had 3 fingers in you today.

Ivy stared at her phone, waiting for Rachel's response – but there was nothing from her lover. Um, you there DH?

Unf.

Ivy let out a loud bark of laughter. *grin*

Why did you do that?

Just wanted to make sure you know how much I want you. Did it work?

Mmm-hmm.

Ivy smiled, rather enjoying this little game they were playing. Good. You're too delicious for your own good DH.

Awww.

It's all I can do to not ravage you constantly.

You suck V.

Yes, yes I do.

You're a freaking comedian now?

Yup. You're nipples are delicious DH.

I'm not sexting you V.

That's okay DH, I'll take care of the good stuff, you just have to read.

No.

Have I told you lately how much I love sucking on your clit?

Ivy paused to steal a sip from her drink, giving Rachel time to respond if she so desired. Which the redhead obviously did not.

Hmm. No? Well, I do. The sounds you make while I pleasure you are so fucking hot. Sometimes I swear I come just from listening to you

Again. You suck.

Ivy smiled. Again. I know, and I love it.

Me too.

Ivy chuckled to herself, quickly glancing around the café's patio to make sure nobody was paying any attention to her, before she quickly typed out the next part of her message, sending it in short spurts so that Rachel would not be able to respond.

Especially when I have my fingers buried inside you

Pumping in and out

Fast then slow

Hard then soft

Mmm…and the way your hips start to work when you're getting close

The feel of you pulsing under my tongue

That and your moans drive me crazy

The sweet taste of you filling my mouth as I curl my fingers to hit

That

One

Magical

Spot

I love the way you feel when you come around me.

You're so fucking sexy Rache.

Unf.

You're welcome. How you doing DH?

Got a wettie now.

Aww, poor witchy.

And I just screwed up the amulets I was working on.

Sorry?

No you're not.

No, I'm not.

I love you DH.

Love you too. I'm off to take another cold shower.

Have fun?

It'd be more fun if you were in there with me. And if the water wasn't cold.

:P

Cold showers suck.

Shouldn't have made that bet DH.

*sigh* Yeah.

Chapter 4

The next day found Ivy and Rachel back into their usual routine, with Ivy waking up long after Rachel had already vacated their bed. The vampire groggily pulled her black silk robe of its hook on the back of the door and shuffled sleepily down the hall toward the kitchen as she slid first one arm and then the other into the smooth fabric. She had just finished tying the robe closed as she entered the kitchen to find Rachel sipping a cup of coffee out of her favorite Vampiric Charms mug and looking through some kind of a catalog.

"Morning," Ivy smiled as she went to grab herself a cup of coffee.

"Morning, Ivy," Rachel murmured, not lifting her eyes off of her magazine.

Ivy finished filling her mug and held it up to her lips, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath of the sharp aroma before having that first sip of the day. Heaven.

"Mmm," Ivy purred happily as she padded across the linoleum to the table where Rachel was sitting. "Whatcha got there Dear Heart?"

"Oh, nothing," Rachel smiled cheekily.

"Really?" Ivy arched a single brow questioningly in the way that only she could pull off without looking ridiculous.

"Mmm-hmm," Rachel grinned.

"So, lemme see then."

"Erica called and I'm going to go meet her at the beach this afternoon when you're meeting with the Howlers," Rachel changed the subject.

"Okay," Ivy nodded. "So, now you gonna show me what you were looking at?"

"Sure," Rachel agreed, standing and moving in behind Ivy as she spun the glossy illustrated book around for her to see. She leaned in close, making sure to press her breasts gently into the vampire's back as she pointed at the middle of the page. "I like this one," she growled seductively in her love's ear, drawing her attention to a rather colorful strap-on. "It's really pretty with the glitter and I think it would look so… fucking… sexy… on you."

Ivy's breath hitched in her throat and her nipples immediately contracted to an almost painful degree.

"Although," the witch continued huskily, a satisfied smirk tweaking her lips as she felt her girlfriend stiffen against her, "I think I'd like it best deep, deep inside me. And, I bet the spirals on it would feel so good as you thrust it in and out of my hot, tight…"

"Mmmpft," Ivy interrupted her before she could go any further. "I think I got the mental picture of what you envision happening with that toy," she said breathlessly.

"Oh you don't even know the half of what I'd like for you to do to me when you're wearing that," Rachel murmured, lowering her mouth to lay a well placed nip to Ivy's pulse point.

"Guh. Mmmm," Ivy purred, squeezing her legs together in an attempt to block her rising arousal. "Rache – why are you showing me this now?"

"Mmm, payback baby," Rachel smiled, laying another kiss on Ivy's neck.

"For what?" Ivy squeaked.

Rachel chuckled as she slowly ran her tongue up Ivy's neck to her ear. "For sexting me yesterday and getting me so worked up that I had to take an ice cold shower and my own fingers to myself to relieve the pressure," she growled before sucking the vampire's lobe between her teeth and delivering a not-so-gentle bite to the sensitive flesh.

"O-o-o-ohhhhh," Ivy hissed, her back arching in pleasure as a flood of arousal pooled between her thighs.

"And the whole time," Rachel murmured, "I was wishing that it was you moving inside me, that it was you who was making me come so… goddamn… hard."

Ivy drew a sharp breath threw her teeth and let it out on a hiss, "Fuuuuuuuuuck."

Rachel smirked as she blew softly on the wet flesh. "Exactly baby. Now, I'm going to go put on my bikini and meet your sister at the lake. We'll be back later for movie night, 'kay?"

Still incapable of forming a more coherent thought, Ivy could only respond with a muffled, "Mmm-hmm."

Rachel reached a hand out and gently turned the vampire's face toward hers. "Good," she smiled, laying a soft kiss on Ivy's lips. "I'll see you later then, Baby. Love you."

"Mmm," Ivy nodded jerkily. "Love you too Rache."

Rachel smiled as she strutted down the hall toward their bedroom, calling cheekily over her shoulder, "Oh, and I left you plenty of cold water. Have fun."

"So, how are you doing with the bet?" Erica asked Rachel as she flipped from her back to her stomach to sun the other half of her body for a bit.

"Fine," Rachel laughed, the memory of how she'd teased Ivy earlier still fresh in her mind. "I'd be willing to bet that Ivy had a worse morning today than I did."

Erica laughed loudly. "What did you do to her?"

Rachel grinned at the young vamp over the top of her sunglasses. "Trust me, you do not want to know. But, she totally deserved it."

Erica giggled at the mischievous glint in Rachel's eyes."Okay, I know I'm going to regret asking, but I have to know. Why?"

"She thought it'd be fun to try sexting me yesterday afternoon when she was out with you."

"Nuh-unh," Erica shook her head. "She wasn't texting anybody when she was with me. But her phone did buzz right when I was leaving…," her voice trailed off as she put two and two together. "Wait, so she really sexted you when you're in the middle of this insane bet? Which, we are so not expecting you to win, by the way."

"Yes she really sexted me yesterday afternoon, and why the hell don't you think we're going to win?"

"Rachel," Erica laughed. "You two are bunnies. You're always touching, rubbing, grabbing – it's … well, it's freaking nauseating, really."

Rachel frowned at the young vampire. "I don't know if I'm supposed to apologize for that or not."

"Apologize for what?" a familiar voice interrupted them before Erica could respond.

Erica looked up at her sister and smiled. "Nothing V, just girl talk. Wasn't expecting to see you here, I thought you were working today?"

"I am," Ivy answered, arching her brow suggestively as she gave the two sunbathing women her most playfully devilish grin. "But, Rachel was going on and on this morning about wanting something, so I swung by the store and got it for her. And, since the lake is on the way to the Howler's stadium, I thought I'd drop it off before I went to my meeting."

"You. Did. What?" Rachel spluttered, rolling over to stare at her girlfriend.

"I bought it for you," Ivy answered innocently, pretending not to notice the blush spreading across Rachel's entire body. "Here ya go," she held out a nondescript red plastic bag for evidence as she squatted down next to Rachel. "Just like you wanted," she murmured as she dropped the bag into Rachel's lap and carefully leaned in to capture the redhead's lips in a tender kiss. "Can't wait to try it out, Dear Heart."

Erica grinned. "I probably don't want to know what's in the bag do I?"

Ivy shrugged. "Ask Rachel. I'm late for my meeting. See you girls later. Love ya Rache."

Erica and Rachel watched the statuesque vampire strut across the sand back toward the parking lot where she'd left her motorcycle. Erica watched her sister go with an amused smile, convinced that she was going to win the bet; Rachel's smile, on the other hand, was hungry.

"Damn," the witch muttered to herself, shifting uncomfortably on her blanket as she watched her love race away on her gleaming Nightwing.

"You say something Rache?" Erica laughed.

"No," Rachel shook her head. "Nothing. Just muttering to myself."

"Oh, okay," Erica grinned. "So, you wanna show me what's in the bag?"

"Umm, don't think so E," Rachel smiled, already busy planning her retaliation.

Ivy strode into the offices on the club level of the Howlers' stadium, satisfied with herself for managing to come up with the idea of how to get back at Rachel for showing her that toy. Granted, thinking about it as she was riding across town on her motorcycle was, um, interesting?, as was the ride out to the lake – but seeing Rachel's face as she dropped the bag into her lap made it all worthwhile.

"Ms. Tamwood," Mrs. Sarong's voice cut through her thoughts to bring her back to her surroundings. "Thank you for coming today."

Ivy smiled, more than a little relieved to have something else to focus on for a bit. "No problem at all Mrs. Sarong. So, what can Vampiric Charms do for you?"

Approximately forty-five minutes into the meeting Ivy's phone buzzed with an incoming text.

"Excuse me," she murmured, taking a quick glance to see that the message was from Rachel. Thinking it must be something important because Rachel never texted her when she was in a meeting, she muttered apologetically, "I need to see what this is about."

"No problem," Mrs. Sarong answered amiably. "I need to go and make a quick call myself to let my, shall we say, associates know that you are willing to take our case. I will also speak with my secretary about getting you your required retainer."

"Excellent," Ivy beamed, rising out of her seat and bowing graciously as the older woman passed by her to the door. "Thank you so much."

She waited until the door clicked shut behind the imposing Were before she opened Rachel's message.

Once the file opened she was supremely glad that she waited until she was alone.

It feels just as good as I thought it would. Miss you.

"Fuck." So much for the sanctity of business meetings. You didn't really try it out did you?

Wouldn't you like to know?

Ivy bit her lip and looked up at the closed door. Unf. Yes.

Too bad.Love you!

Rachel laughed as she tossed her phone back into her bag.

"So, were you just totally evil to my sister?" Erica asked.

"Yup," Rachel smiled. "And she totally deserved it. Again."

"Remind me never to piss you off Rache. You ready to head out? Jenks'll be expecting our movie night to start soon."

"No problem," Rachel answered, standing up and shaking the loose sand off of her towel. "I have a feeling Ivy's going to be heading home soon herself."

"I swear Jenks," Erica whispered, casting a wary eye down the hall to where Rachel was changing. "They're teasing each other like there's no tomorrow. If Ivy thinks this is a personal contest between her and Rachel she might not cave. I don't know if we're gonna win this one and I already have plans for that house over the holiday."

"Don't worry Erica," Jenks patted her arm encouragingly. "You brought the movie I told you to, yeah?"

Erica nodded. "Yeah. Honestly, I was a little embarrassed renting it."

"We don't have a problem then," the pixie laughed. "We have them right where we want them."

"So, what movie did you choose?" Ivy asked as she sauntered into the kitchen, dropping her satchel onto the empty chair in front of her computer before she headed for the fridge and her orange juice.

"Well hello to you too sis," Erica grinned. "Nice meeting?"

Ivy smiled. "It was … eventful."

"I bet," Erica laughed. "What did she text you?"

"You were there?"

"Yeah, we were still laying out. Why? What was it?"

"Nothing but a little white lie," Ivy drawled dismissively. "So, what's the movie?"

"Yeah," Rachel prompted as she entered the kitchen. "What movie are we watching tonight?"

Erica shot Jenks a look and the little pixy just nodded, so she answered, "The Notebook."

Ivy groaned and took another big swig from the carton of orange juice in her hand.

"I love that movie!" Rachel sighed. "It's so romantic! Isn't it romantic Ivy?"

Ivy tried her best to smile at Rachel, but it came out looking like more of a grimace. "Yup."

"God," Rachel sighed dramatically, continuing on as if Jenks and Erica couldn't hear her. "It'll tough tonight after watching this – something about this movie always makes me want to just take you to bed and make love to you until dawn, you know that babe?"

Ivy nodded. "Yes, I know that quite well Dear Heart. I'm sure it'll be a very interesting night trying to keep our hands off of each other."

Erica and Jenks shared evil grins and what they thought was a surreptitious celebratory high-five.

"Saw that you two," Ivy muttered. "You suck. This is a pretty shady move, even for you Jenks. You know she gets so worked up over this movie that I can barely control myself."

The pixie cackled merrily. "Just helpin' the cause Ivster. Just helpin' the cause."

Chapter 5

Rachel awoke to find herself laying in bed alone. She brushed a hand over Ivy's side of the bed, and frowned as the cool sheets told her that her tall dark and ridiculously sexy vampire had left their bed a while ago. She rolled over to steal a glance at the clock and was surprised to see that it was not even noon yet.

Now where has she disappeared to?, Rachel thought to herself as she rolled out of bed and pulled on a pair of track pants and an old hoodie. Ivy never gets up this early unless a run requires it.

She started her search for her missing vampire in the kitchen and was not too terribly surprised when she found it empty. Ivy had stopped spending so much time at her computer pretty much right around the time the two of them had started dating. So, while she was not surprised about Ivy's absence in the kitchen, she was surprised to hear the sound of the television drifting down the hall from the living room - Ivy really wasn't one to veg in front of the television.

What the Turn?

Rachel followed the source of the sound down the short hall to the living room where she found Ivy curled up in her favorite chair watching cartoons.

Wait … cartoons?

"You can stop staring Rache," Ivy murmured without turning around.

"Whatcha doing?" Rachel asked, unable to stop herself from smirking.

"Watching some addicts get their fix," Ivy answered, and Rachel swore she could almost hear a grimace in her lover's voice. "Unlike me," she finished softly, almost to herself.

"You're not an addict Ivy," Rachel murmured as she moved around the vampire's chair to sit in the corner of the couch.

"I am," Ivy argued. "I'm addicted to you," she extrapolated, arching an eyebrow lecherously in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Rachel smiled. "Well, I am pretty great."

"That you are," Ivy murmured, a soft smile tweaking her lips for the briefest of moments before her mask fell back into place.

Which, of course, Rachel noticed immediately. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Ivy answered a little too quickly.

"Are you sure? Because you never get up this early unless you absolutely have to, and you're starting to go through the orange juice again like it's going out of style."

"I'm fine," Ivy repeated quietly. "The juice just helps with the cravings. I'm resisting more than just your luscious body to try and help us win this bet you know."

"I know baby," Rachel frowned. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have anything to be sorry about Dear Heart," Ivy whispered, reaching out and grabbing Rachel's arm to pull her over onto her lap. "I agreed to this as much as you did," she murmured, as she lifted Rachel and settled her legs on either side of her own. "Can we just talk about something else, please?" she asked, nuzzling her favorite wild curls.

"Okay," Rachel nodded, happily sliding her arms around the vampire's neck. "So, you're watching Scooby Doo. There are no addicts in this show."

"Um, there are total addicts in this show," Ivy smirked, closing the distance between them to press a soft kiss to the redhead's forehead. "More precisely, there are exactly my kind of addicts in this show."

"Oh really," Rachel smiled. "Care to enlighten me oh wise one?"

"Well, Scooby and Shaggy are total druggies," Ivy started. "Potheads, to be exact."

"What? No they're not!"

"They are," Ivy grinned. "Why do you think they'll do anything for a Scooby-Snack and then they're always hungry?"

"Fast metabolisms?"

Ivy chuckled. "Not likely. Total stoners getting high off the hash brownie Scooby Snacks."

"Um, you're not a pothead V."

"Dear Heart," Ivy smiled. "You are more addictive than any drug out there."

"Really?"

"Mmm-hmm," Ivy hummed as she ran the tip of her tongue across the redhead's lower lip before kissing her tenderly.

"Um, thanks? I think."

"It's a complement, Dear Heart," Ivy assured her as she laid a soft kiss to the tip of the redhead's nose. "And then there are the addicts that I am feeling the most sympathy for right now."

"Who's that?" Rachel smiled.

"Fred and Daphne."

Rachel looked at the screen which showed Fred and Daphne setting up some kind of a trap. "Why?"

Ivy grinned. "They're obviously sex addicts."

"What?"

Ivy nodded. "Why do you think they're always separating themselves from the group? They're sneaking off to the Mystery Machine to get it on whenever possible."

Rachel threw her head back and laughed loudly at that. "Oh really now?" she sniggered.

"Un-huh," Ivy grinned. "Although I do totally understand his dilemma," she captured Rachel's lips in a soft lingering kiss. "Once you find a delicious redhead of your own you just want to ravage them constantly."

"Mmm," Rachel murmured, leaning in and kissing the vampire soundly. "I am really liking the sound of that."

Ivy smiled and rested her forehead against Rachel's. "Me too. But I don't want to be the reason we lose and you have to do that curse."

"That's funny," Rachel drawled. "Because, even though I would prefer to not add any more smut to my aura, I could really care less about that curse because it would make Jenks live longer. I just don't want to be responsible for you having to play on stage – no matter how sexy I think you'd be doing it."

"You think I'd look sexy playing on stage?" Ivy asked, surprised.

Rachel raised two brows in utter shock at her absurd girlfriend. "Ivy, you're the sexiest woman on the planet when you're doing laundry – of course you'd look hot playing the piano up on stage. It would be all I could do to keep myself from running up there, jumping you, and giving the people one hell of a show."

Ivy smiled a small self-conscious smile. "Really?"

Rachel shook her head in disbelief. "Yes, really."

Ivy lifted her hands to cradle the redhead's face between her palms, her thumbs tenderly stroking her lover's cheeks. "I love you so much Rachel."

Rachel smiled. "I love you too, Ivy."

"So, we have been sticking with this ridiculous bet that you landed us in because of not wanting to hurt each other?"

Rachel laughed softly and nodded. "It would appear so, yes. And the beach house."

"Yes," Ivy grinned. "I have big plans for that beach house."

"Will I like those plans?"

"Mmm-hmm," Ivy leaned in to whisper teasingly in her ear. "You will. They're quite… orgasmic."

Rachel moaned and claimed Ivy's lips in a slow, languorous kiss. "Mmm. I do like the sound of that."

"Hmm," Ivy smiled. "Me too. So it's a good thing I have more self control than you do – at least I'm not going to be the reason we lose this thing."

Rachel pulled back and shot her lover a challenging look. "Oh really."

"Yes, really," Ivy grinned. "Everybody knows that I have way more self control than you do."

"Wanna bet?"

Ivy pulled Rachel in and kissed the tip of her nose. "You're so cute when you're belligerent. Sure, what are we betting?"

Rachel frowned, trying to stay upset with Ivy but it was just so damned hard when the vampire was looking at her like that. "First to cave loses."

"Fine," Ivy agreed. "What does the winner get?"

Rachel shrugged. "Whatever. Winner gets to choose."

"Fine," Ivy laughed, leaning in to kiss the redhead tenderly. "I promise I'll do my best to think of something we'll both enjoy, Dear Heart."

"Like you're really going to win," Rachel scoffed.

"Oh, I'm so going to win," Ivy laughed. "We have four days left. I bet I'll get you to give-in long before then."

"Uh-huh," Rachel countered.

"Yup," Ivy grinned. "So, you wanna go out tonight?"

"Sure," Rachel smiled, leaning in and kissing the vampire. "What do you have in mind?"

"Oh, you'll see," Ivy chuckled.

"Erica," Jenks muttered into his tiny cell phone. "Pick up you stupid vamp!"

"Hello?"

Jenks let the breath he was holding out with a great whoosh. "Erica, it's me Jenks."

"Yeah, the caller ID told me that," Erica drawled. "What's up? Did they finally do it?"

"No," Jenks hissed, careful to keep his voice down so that Ivy didn't overhear him. "You were right, they're totally making this into a competition between the two of them."

"Shit."

Jenks grinned. "Yeah, but they sounded like they were both kind of okay with the result if they lost – so now they're going to be actually trying to tease the other into submission."

"You're kidding me?" Erica giggled.

"I know, right?"

"Oh, this is going to be too good," Erica laughed. "I don't give Rachel one day if my sister is actually trying to seduce her."

"What about Ivy?" Jenks countered. "Do you really think she's going to be able to resist Rachel if she really trying to set her off? Hell, Rache does a bang-up job when she's not even trying – imagine how much she's going to torment your sister if it's on purpose!"

"This is awesome Jenks," Erica laughed. "You've totally made my day here. So, how are we going to know if they do it or not?"

"Please," Jenks scoffed. "After all these years living with those girls, I know everything about them. Trust me, I'll know."

"Alright then," Erica answered happily. "Keep me posted.

"Hey Ivy," Rachel hollered as she wandered into their bedroom in search of the missing vampire. "I need to know what to wear tonight. Could you at least give me a hint…," her voice trailed off as she caught sight of the tall vampire pulling up a black lace thong, her delicious breasts swinging tantalizingly free. "Oh. Fuck. Me," she muttered.

Ivy looked up and grinned, as she slowly slid the scrap of fabric up into place. "I'd love to, Dear Heart, but we have that bet going on right now. Unless," she stood and stretched, arching her back and thrusting her chest out invitingly toward her gaping lover, "you'd like to come have a taste?"

Rachel's tongue unconsciously peeked out between her lips to wet the suddenly tingling flesh at the sight of Ivy displayed before her in all her glory. Mmm, yummy. Me want to play dammit!, her inner voice practically demanded as her hands flexed at her sides, her fingers literally aching for her to cross the room and grab hold of Ivy's breasts and rub, knead, and massage those lovely mounds.

"You okay Rache?" Ivy asked, lowering her arms but making no move to cover herself. "You're looking a little flushed."

"Hmmm," Rachel murmured, somehow managing to find the willpower to tear her eyes off of Ivy's breasts. She moved her gaze up to Ivy's to find the vampire's lips tweaked up in an amused grin, her barely chocolate eyes hungry as heightened vampire senses all too accurately processed exactly what she had been thinking about.

"I asked if you were okay," Ivy repeated softly.

"Yeah," Rachel answered somewhat breathlessly. "I was um… hmm… I mean… fuck," she laughed. "What should I wear tonight?"

"Jeans will be fine," Ivy grinned, resting her hands on her hips, drawing attention to the fact that all she had on was that see-through lace thong. "I thought we'd take my bike."

Bloody fucking hell, Rachel mentally grimaced. I'm hosed.

"Are you sure you're okay, Dear Heart?" Ivy chuckled. "You're all flushed again."

Rachel threw the vampire the closest thing to an overconfident smile she could manage. "I'm fine Iv. I'll just um … go shower and get ready?"

Ivy laughed softly. "Sounds good Rache."

"Yeah … good," Rachel stuttered, allowing her eyes to rake the vampire's naked form one more time before turning to head toward the shower.

"Oh, Dear Heart?"

Rachel looked over her shoulder and again licked her lips at the sight before her. "Yeah?"

Ivy smiled seductively as she slowly ran her hands up her stomach to cup her breasts, artfully sliding her fingers around her hard, dark nipples and playfully squeezing herself as she answered, "I left you plenty of cold water."

Rachel swallowed audibly as her stomach clenched and her panties were effectively ruined. "Mmpft," she muttered, shaking her head distractedly as she left the room as fast as she could without running.

"Game on," Ivy grinned.

Ivy was waiting in the sanctuary for Rachel to finish getting ready for their date, puttering around the pool table and laughing to herself as her thoughts kept flashing back to Rachel's face in their bedroom earlier. Good lord, it was like the poor little witch honestly didn't realize who she was dealing with, she chuckled to herself, leaning across the table provocatively to knock the eight ball into the center pocket.

"Ahem," Rachel cleared her throat to get Ivy's attention. "You ready?" she smiled, adjusting the collar on her shirt and biting her lower lip coquettishly.

Ivy looked over her shoulder at the redhead and her jaw dropped. Rachel had changed into jeans like she'd suggested – but the witch had chosen to pour herself into the pair of jeans that had led to an unforgettable afternoon of risqué sex in a very public dressing room.

"Oh. Fuck. Me," Ivy muttered.

"I'd love to," Rachel chuckled, giving herself a mental high five as she quite literally strutted across the room toward the front door, making sure Ivy got a good eyeful of the extra swing she was putting into her hips. "But we are in the middle of that insane bet," she mocked. "Unless you'd like to come have a taste?" she grinned over her shoulder.

Ivy just stared.

"Um, baby," Rachel chuckled. "You feeling okay? You're looking a little flushed."

"Mmm-hmm," Ivy murmured, nodding jerkily. "Yeah. Okay. Let's go."

Rachel grinned as she followed her unusually ineloquent girlfriend out the front door and down the steps to where the vampire had left her gleaming Nightwing. She grinned as she slid in behind Ivy, noticing the way the vampire stiffened slightly when she slowly trailed her hands around the top of her low-slung jeans to grab hold of her waist.

"Ready?" Ivy husked.

"Oh yes," Rachel purred, leaning in to give the vampire's lobe a gentle nip. "Let's go baby."

Ivy took a deep breath as she started the engine, willing herself to remain calm as the powerful motor started vibrating between her thighs. Oh. Fuck. Me.

Rachel, sitting on the back of the bike fell victim to those same vibrations. Oh. Fuck. Me, she thought desperately as her eyes rolled back in her head.

Ivy took a deep relieved breath when they came to a red light, happy to have the incredibly arousing sensation between her legs lessen. Oh, thank God, she thought to herself as she fidgeted slightly on her seat.

"Mmm," Rachel purred, sliding her tongue around the shell of the unsuspecting vampire's ear. "You feel so good pressed up against me baby."

Ivy shuddered at the redhead's touch. Fuuuuuuuck.

"And your biiiiike," she growled. "Mmm, it feels so … fucking … good vibrating against my clit. I am absolutely dripping right now."

"Mmmpft," Ivy moaned, suddenly very happy that the light had changed and she was able to race away.

"Oh god," Ivy murmured as she watched the traffic light up ahead change from green to yellow and then to red.

Sure enough, the minute they were stopped Rachel leaned in and resumed her sweet talking.

"Did I tell you how amazing you look when you wear just that lacy thong?"

Ivy groaned.

Rachel smiled. "Mmmm … any other day and I would have had one of your delicious nipples between my teeth and my fingers down the front of that thong in a heartbeat."

"Fuck," Ivy breathed.

Rachel chuckled and just laid a soft kiss to the sensitive hollow behind the vampire's ear as the light changed and Ivy once again gunned the engine.

Another red light.

"Mmm, I have absolutely ruined these panties," Rachel breathed, nipping at Ivy's pulse point.

Ivy closed her eyes and bit her lip as she fought to keep from making any noises that might spur Rachel on in her teasing.

"I wish your tongue was down there right now so you could taste how insanely wet I am."

No. Such. Luck. "Mmmpft."

Another red light.

Christ, what is this, the night of one million red lights? Ivy thought with a groan.

"My nipples are so hard right now they hurt," Rachel moaned piteously, pushing herself into the vampire's back for emphasis.

Said vampire's eyes crossed more than a little at that confession.

Another red light.

"Baaaaby," Rachel groaned, "Could you please rev the engine a couple times? I am ... unh ... so … mmm … close."

Ivy turned around to find the redhead's green eyes twinkling merrily. "You are so bad," she muttered before turning back around and racing off.

Another red light.

"So, I'm bad, huh?" Rachel purred, her seductive grin growing wider as Ivy turned around and she took in the vampire's pitch black eyes.

Ivy nodded slowly.

Rachel smiled victoriously as she leaned in closer to husk, "You gonna spank me?"

Ivy growled loudly and reached back to forcefully pull the teasing redhead in for a fierce kiss, no longer caring about who was going to owe whom or who had stronger will-power. All she cared about was getting closer to the woman who was driving her insane.

Rachel moaned ridiculously loud and immediately deepened the kiss, leaning further over the side of the bike to allow the vampire easier access. The kiss seemed to go on forever, both women eagerly deepening the kiss, both women completely unaware of the world around them. They were so unaware, in fact, that they came back to earth only because of the whoop-whoop of a police siren and a voice hollering over a megaphone, "Girls, for as much as we're all enjoying the show, you've sat through three green lights now. You need to move the motorcycle."

Rachel pulled away looking flushed and annoyed at the interruption.

Ivy, on the other hand, looked sheepish. "Sorry officer," she called out, offering the officer a small, apologetic wave. "We'll get going now."

"Mmm," Rachel moaned, running her tongue over the vampire's exposed neck. "Where are we going?"

Ivy sighed. "I'm not too sure anymore," she murmured.

Chapter 6

After assuring the police officer that they would get going, the farthest Ivy could manage to move her bike was through the intersection and up next to the curb to park it.

"Mmm. Where are we going?" Rachel's teasing voice and touch echoed through her body.

And then that kiss. With the bike vibrating under her. Mmm. She was quite literally shaking with need as she maneuvered her bike across the narrow street – it felt as if every cell in her body was zinging with electricity; her kiss swollen lips were throbbing with her pulse and the rest of her body was literally aching to be touched … stroked … fucked. Mmm, yes.

But there were other needs raging inside her too. Other needs that weren't as pedestrian as simple horniness. And it was those particular needs that she needed to get control of. Rachel had quite literally licked her right over the edge with that last little stunt.

She killed the engine and jumped off the bike, ignoring Rachel's worried questions about what was wrong to stride across the wide sidewalk to lean into the uneven brick wall of the factory lining the boulevard, placing her forearm between her head and the rough surface.

"What's wrong Ivy?" Rachel asked quietly from her perch on the back of the now silent motorcycle.

"Just … give me a minute," Ivy answered, closing her eyes and drawing a couple deep breaths, forcing herself to concentrate on the dusty smell of old stone as she fought to get the feel and smell of Rachel out of her system.

Of course Rachel didn't listen.

Ivy groaned as she heard Rachel climb off the back of the bike, shuddered as she heard the whisper of the air shifting around the redhead as she moved closer.

"Ivy, please look at me," Rachel begged quietly.

"No," Ivy mumbled into the wall.

"Are you okay?"

Ivy looked up and captured the unthinking witch's emerald eyes with her own. She didn't need a mirror to know that her own eyes were absolutely black. She didn't need any sort of visual confirmation as to her current state. She knew how she looked. She could feel it. She could feel the always barely restrained strength and power inside her demanding to be let loose, begging to be allowed to hunt, stalk, and capture; she could taste the saliva pooling in her mouth as her fangs literally ached with need, ached to tear into something hot, wet, and delicious.

She was completely, totally, one hundred percent vamped out.

"Oh," Rachel sighed, understanding flashing across her face as she was completely blown away by how dangerously beautiful Ivy was in all her powerful glory. Dear Goddess, she's stunning. "I'm sorry baby," she crooned, reflexively reaching out to stroke the vampire's cheek tenderly.

"Rachel," Ivy growled. "I know you mean well, and I love you for wanting to comfort me right now, but I need you to go back to the bike for a few minutes. Please."

Ivy winced as she watched Rachel nod slowly and bite her lip worryingly as she backed away, hating herself for hurting the witch even as she fought not to. She turned back to her brick wall and drew a deep breath between her tightly clenched teeth, sucking the cleansing air in with an audible hiss and holding it in for a few seconds before blowing it out in a quiet whoosh. It took a few minutes of deep breathing for her to regain enough control of herself to turn back towards Rachel who was waiting on the bike. She tried to smile reassuringly as she approached, but knew her eyes were still mostly black and that her smile probably came across as more of a grimace.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she reached the stunning redhead who was waiting for her. She leaned in and laid a soft kiss on Rachel's forehead, her eyes closing as her lips brushed against that smooth beautiful skin.

She felt her body relax as Rachel's arms slid around her waist, felt her heart break when Rachel whispered, "I'm sorry."

What they needed was to relax. To really let loose for a bit. Easier said than done for a vampire on the edge though, unless …

"Rache, you want to go to The Palace?" Ivy asked softly.

"Sure," Rachel answered, desperate to get Ivy back to her joking, teasing self. She wasn't sure how a club factored into that transformation, but Ivy knew what would help a lot better than she did. "If you think you're up to it, let's go."

They arrived at The Palace to find quite a queue against the outer wall of the building.

"Should we just leave?" Rachel asked quietly.

Ivy shook her head. "We don't wait with them," she answered.

Neither woman had been to this particular club before – Ivy only knew of it because John from Piscary's had ventured out on his own and, with a little help from Cormel, established this little club. Apparently Rynn had heard about how vampire related crimes had dipped when Kisten had turned Piscary's into a club and decided that a little sugaring to keep the living vamps happy wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

The vamp at the door was hesitant to let Rachel enter the club, it was a vamp club after all, and it wasn't until he realized that she was with Ivy that he let her enter. Anybody strong enough to hang with Tamwood was strong enough to survive the craziness contained behind the double doors behind him.

"Thanks Rhys," Ivy murmured, laying a couple sound smacks to his shoulder as she passed.

"Not a problem Ms. Tamwood," he replied politely, somehow managing to stand firm and not flinch under her blows.

The women passed through the double doors and ran right into a veritable wall of sensory overload. The bass pumping out of the speakers filled the room with a tangible beat that Rachel found overpowering until she got used to the feeling of the music literally reverberating through her body and then she found the steady thwump from the sub-woofers strangely hypnotic. Ivy completely ignored the music as she took a deep relaxing breath, eagerly inhaling the sea of pleasurable pheromones filling the room. She closed her eyes and purred happily as she felt the indescribable pull of her inner beast recede further back into its cage.

Rachel felt Ivy relax beside her, and was shocked when she looked up at her lover to find the vampire's eyes closed and the ghost of a contented smile tweaking her lips.

Ivy opened her eyes to find Rachel watching her. She smiled and leaned in to whisper through wild curls, "Want to go get a drink?"

Rachel nodded. "Sure."

Ivy reached down for Rachel's hand, twining their fingers together and lifting their joined hands to her lips to place a gentle kiss to the back of the witch's knuckles. She gave Rachel's arm a gentle tug as she made her way across the crowded room to the bar where one authoritative wave got the bartender's attention and a few muttered words landed a Screwdriver and a Dead Man's Float in front of the pair. Ivy literally slammed her drink and before Rachel could blink had the now empty glass out for the bartender to refill.

"Is that smart?" Rachel asked hesitantly, the dangerously beautiful image of a fully vamped-out Ivy at the forefront of her mind.

"Last one," Ivy leaned in and whispered in her ear. "I just need to take the edge off. You know the juice helps."

"And the vodka?"

"That helps with the other edge I'm falling victim to," Ivy purred seductively, the alcohol and the pheromones already doing their jobs.

Rachel shuddered under her lover's gaze, which could only be described as liquid sex and promises. She sucked her lower lip in between her teeth and bit down on the tender flesh as she fell deeper into the vampire's eyes. She stared, completely bewitched as Ivy knocked back her second drink as quick as she had her first, and when the vampire smiled seductively and inclined her head questioningly toward the dance floor all she could do was bob her head in agreement. She is too beautiful for words.

Ivy's smile turned from seductive to excited as she grabbed Rachel's hand and pulled the redhead out onto the dance floor, weaving their way around the mass of gyrating bodies to the center of the hardwood, clearing room for them with a simple glare and a directive nod of her head.

Ivy turned and smiled at Rachel, already feeling relaxed from her drinks and the pheromones roiling around the club. This is what she needed. Well, she needed more but, for now, this would suffice. She smiled lovingly at Rachel, sliding in closer and laying her hands on the witch's hips as she started to move with the music.

Rachel could only stare, transfixed by the sight of the sexy vampire moving with the loud unintelligible music and it took a gentle pull from Ivy against her hips to remind her that she should be moving too.

"Is this smart?" Rachel asked, sliding her arms around Ivy's neck as she allowed the vampire to pull her in closer.

"Mmm," Ivy smiled, pulling the redhead in close enough that their bodies were pressed up against each other, their hips moving in time against each other as she leaned in to kiss her softly. "Probably not, but I'm tired of being smart Rache. I'm tired of thinking. I want to go back to feeling. I want to dance. Just dance with me."

Rachel nodded and allowed Ivy to lead as she began moving in time with her girlfriend, as she allowed the feeling of the music to pound through her veins until all movement became unconscious. She wasn't moving her body, the music was. She was no longer thinking about what they should and should not be doing. She just let herself go, delighting in the feeling of Ivy pressed up against her, savoring the familiar feeling of their bodies moving, rubbing, and grinding against each other. Mmm, this is heaven. Why have we been denying ourselves this?

Ivy's fingers grasped, rubbed and stroked the redhead's hips as she pressed herself closer to her love, reveling in the feeling of actually touching Rachel, of actually having her hands on the witch's body, enjoying the way way she was able to direct the redhead's movements against her. Directing her movements with a soft push or a gentle pull one way or the other on her hips in much the same way as she would have were they in bed. It was a strangely intimate feeling, considering they were surrounded by an untold number of strangers.

Rachel's body felt like it was on fire, every nerve-ending demanding to be stroked, touched, caressed. In the back of her mind she knew they should stop, knew that they were still in the middle of that ridiculous bet and they shouldn't be rubbing against each other this way; but she honestly could have cared less. She needed Ivy. Needed the vampire's hands upon her body. Needed to feel her lover's skin slick with sweat beneath her fingertips. She needed Ivy.

Fuck it all, she thought as she tangled one hand in the hairs at the vampire's nape and dropped her other hand to grab hold of Ivy's ass as she slid one jean-clad leg between her lover's. I need this. We need this.

Ivy growled at the redhead's embolden touch and eagerly moved to slide her right leg between Rachel's. She let go of Rachel's hip with her left hand and allowed the arm to swing free in time with their movements as she ground herself against her lover's thigh; her movements becoming stronger and more demanding against Rachel as she felt the witch relax into her, as she felt Rachel begin to rub against her, as she felt Rachel's hand slide up her stomach to palm her breast possessively. A delicious shiver of anticipation rolled through her as Rachel's thumb brushed over her nipple and she reflexively arched her back pushing herself into her lover's hand, wordlessly begging to be touched that way again.

Ivy's eyes were half chocolate and Rachel's were hooded and clouded with desire as they moved against each other, neither woman noticing that the crowd had pulled back to allow them more room, that the crowd in their immediate vicinity had stopped dancing altogether and were watching the electric show they were inadvertently putting on. Had they noticed, neither of them would have cared. They were lost. Lost to everything but the woman in their arms and the way she felt moving against them.

All Ivy could see was the delicate flush on Rachel's cheeks, the slightly bedraggled look of her curls, her heavy lidded lust darkened eyes, the way her lips were parted with the corners tweaked up in a small self-satisfied smile. She looked … she looked like she'd just been fucked.

Ivy groaned loudly at that realization, her body aching to take and possess the woman in her arms as she captured her lips in a searing kiss.

Rachel moaned loudly as she felt Ivy's tongue begin moving against her own, sighed happily as she pulled the vampire in closer, close enough that their breasts were smashed together between them as they stopped dancing – completely forgetting the music, their location, and the hundreds of hungry eyes watching them as they gave themselves over to the overwhelmingly powerful aching need that their days of teasing each other had produced.

Rachel pulled back from the kiss long enough to whisper pleadingly, "Take me home Ivy. Take me to bed. Just, take me."

Ivy's eyes rolled back in her head as she possessively reclaimed the redhead's lips, her hands finding their way around her lover's trim hips without a second thought as she grabbed hold of the witch's luscious ass and easily lifted her off her feet. Rachel eagerly wrapped her legs around the vampire's waist, arching forward into her lover's touch, enjoying the press of the vampire's fly against her center as Ivy began to make their way out of the club.

They stumbled out of the club rather easily, neither of them bothering to stop and think about why it was that everybody knew they were trying to leave, about why this room full of faceless strangers moved out of their way. They were beyond thinking. They were feeling.

Ivy reluctantly deposited Rachel onto the back of her bike and climbed on in front of the breathless beauty. Before she started the engine she pulled out her cell and punched up the second number in her speed dial, not bothering with niceties when the person on the other end picked up.

"You win. We're fucking bunnies. If you don't want your children completely traumatized I'd have them out of the church within the next ten minutes."

Chapter 7

The Next Afternoon (Laaaaaaate the next afternoon)

Jenks flew merrily into the kitchen to find Ivy sitting in her spot at the table, contentedly nursing her first cup of the day. The minute he took in her goofy contented smile and her relaxed, sated posture he started laughing his tight little pixy ass off.

"Don't even start with me bug," the vampire drawled, a small smile beginning to tweak the corners of her lips.

He paid absolutely no attention to her warning. Perhaps it was because of her smile. Or the fact that she looked so sated that he didn't think she'd be able to get out of her chair fast enough to catch him.

"Oh god yes Ivy," he screeched in a high falsetto, zipping round the room leaving a glittering green trail behind him. "Riiiiight there! Fuuuuuck! Yesssssssssss! Iiiiiiivvvvvvvyyyyyyyyyy!" He broke off laughing. "Tink's tiny blue dildo Ivy, did you kill the poor girl or just…"

"Fuck her senseless?" Ivy cut him off, knowing exactly what he was going to say next.

Jenks nodded.

"She's not dead," Ivy murmured, taking another sip of her coffee.

Jenks cackled madly at this. "Have you checked lately?"

"Right before I climbed out of bed," Ivy answered seriously. "And, at several times during the morning when she was sleeping."

"Wow, it was that good hunh?"

Ivy nodded, a small smile tweaking her lips as snapshots from last night's activities flashed through her mind.

"Earth to Ivy," Jenks laughed.

Ivy shook her head and looked up at the pixy. "Yeah. It was that good."

Jenks struck his favorite Peter Pan pose and grinned, but this time it was more of an 'I'm happy for you, job well done' kind of grin than a lecherous dirty old man grin. "I'm glad."

"Me too," Ivy smiled. "And, for as much as I'd love to sit here and be tormented by you and your witty comments, I hear Rachel waking up so I need to go bring her some coffee and some food."

Unable to resist, Jenks chortled, "Special cookies?"

Ivy shot him a look over the tray that she'd loaded with muffins and a fresh cup of coffee. "No. Food."

"Oh," Jenks muttered. "Sorry."

"I made her eat the cookies before she fell asleep last night," Ivy answered with a grin as she strode out of the room.

That Evening

"For the love of blood Ivy," Erica laughed as she ducked her head into the fridge to grab a bottle of water. "Three days? You could only make it three freaking days?"

"Yeah. But it was a really long three days," Ivy smiled. "Reeeeeally long."

"I guess so," Erica chuckled, her head still stuffed into the fridge. "Umm, V?"

"What?"

Erica turned around slowly, the harness to the glittery dildo pinched tentatively between her thumb and forefinger. "What's this," she emphasized her point by holding the strap-on up for inspection, "doing in the fridge next to the whipped cream?"

"So that's where it ended up after I took it off," Rachel laughed as she walked, a little gingerly, into the room. "Here," she held her hand out for Erica to place the toy into, "I'll take that."

Erica gaped at her sister, a deliciously wicked smile lighting her features. "Her… You… Really? I didn't know you had a Twilight fetish, sis."

Ivy's jaw dropped in surprise. "What?"

"It sparkles," Erica giggled. "You have a Twilight fetish."

"I do not have a Twilight fetish," Ivy argued.

"But, V," Erica giggled holding the toy cock aloft. "Sparkles."

"I didn't pick it out!" Ivy argued, immediately on the defensive. It was one thing to be teased about being borderline nympho, but she drew the line at Twilight. "I'm not the one who has a thing for vampires!"

Erica looked over at Rachel who was following their exchange with a small smile on her face. "Care to add to the discussion, Rachel?"

Rachel's amused smile faltered as the two vampires turned their full attention to her. "Fuck," she muttered. "Yes. Fine. I chose it. I liked the sparkles. But I honestly wasn't thinking about Twilight when I pointed the damned thing out. Aaaaand," her voice rose, "Ivy's the one who bought it."

"God V, on a scale of one to ten how embarrassing was it for you – as a freaking vampire – to go buy a sparkly sex toy?" Erica asked, tears of mirth literally pouring down her cheeks.

"I only bought it because she was going on and on about how badly she wanted it," Ivy muttered.

"Did you call her Alice when she used it on you?" Erica squeaked.

Ivy stood straighter and pointed a finger at her sister. "What? Too far, E. Too far."

Glancing between the two sisters, Rachel decided she needed to step in to stop the madness – and to have just a little fun at her girlfriend's expense. "Christ Erica," she muttered as she wrapped the silicone appendage in a dish towel and set it off to the side on the counter to clean later. "Give her a break. It was only one time against the kitchen table. And once on top of the kitchen island. Oh! And I almost forgot..."

"Never mind! I don't want to know!" Erica yelled, immaturely slapping her hands over her ears to block out the sound of Rachel's voice. "Lalalalalala"

"Now she's decided that she doesn't want to know?" Ivy asked with a grin.

"I know right?" Rachel laughed.

"Should I list the places I was wearing it at?" Ivy murmured as she moved in close to gather her smiling girlfriend in her arms. "The pool table, the piano – which I really liked Dear Heart, that was so fucking hot – then of course that one time up against the wall in the hallway when we just couldn't make it to bed fast enough, and then…"

Rachel growled. "Okay. I get it. Sorry."

"Hey Ivy," Jenks bellowed as he flew down the hall.

Erica took her hands off her ears and watched with her sister and Rachel as an angry red trail of pixy dust streaked toward them.

"Too late," Ivy grinned at her girlfriend.

"Next time you two break out the kink could you please put the handcuffs away when you're done with them?" he asked, stopping to hover between his two blushing tenants. "My kids are in the Sanctuary fighting over which cop friend of yours left their equipment behind."

"Oh god," Erica moaned.

"Sorry," Ivy grinned. "Rachel was just being such a naughty girl last night."

"You suck," Rachel muttered, her ears practically glowing in embarrassment.

"I know," Ivy chuckled. "Don't you remember? I sucked here," she pointed at the counter she was now leaning against. "Oh, and the shower – that was fun, then there was…"

"Christ," Erica muttered. "You two really are fucking bunnies."

"So, Rache," Jenks grinned. "Glad to see you're finally up and at 'em. Nice night?"

"Mmm," Rachel smiled as she made her way over to her chair at the kitchen table. "Yes, thank you."

"You're looking a little stiff," he laughed. "You feeling okay?"

"Mmm-hmm," Rachel nodded. "So, when do you want us to uphold our end of the bargain?" she asked, desperate to get the conversation away from where and how she and Ivy had entertained themselves the night before. "I'm going to need a day to twist the enlarging curse though."

"Friday night," Erica grinned. "Good crowd on Fridays."

"Alright," Ivy and Rachel answered together.

"What songs do I need to learn?" Ivy asked, resigned to her fate.

Erica dug into her bag and pulled out a sheaf of sheet music. "Jenks' song is the top one," she instructed as she handed the inch thick collection of paper to her sister. "Rachel can choose from any of the other songs in there."

"Great," Ivy sighed, looking over the music to Jenks' song. At least it wasn't going to be hard to play. A couple times through and she'd be fine.

While Ivy was studying the music to Jenks' song Rachel was busy flipping through the song choices Erica'd offered her. "Do I need to tell you right now or can I have some time to choose?"

Erica and Jenks laughed and exchanged a celebratory high five.

"You don't have to tell us what you pick," Jenks answered, Erica busy nodding her agreement beside him. "Why don't you go on and surprise us at the bar?"

"Okay," Rachel muttered, again looking through the stack for something that looked familiar.

"As fun as this is," Erica laughed and clapped her hands joyously. "I need to get going. Rache, Friday afternoon you'll make Jenks big and that night we'll go paaaaar-tay!"

Jenks grinned and gave the young vamp another high five. "I'm outie too. Catch ya later girls."

"Outie?" Ivy muttered, as she watched her sister and Jenks head down the hall toward the front door.

"Maybe he's hanging out with Erica a little too much?" Rachel offered with a shrug.

"Hmm, maybe," Ivy smiled, leaning in to kiss her equally dumbfounded girlfriend.

"I don't think so Tamwood," Rachel chuckled, leaning away from her lover's incoming lips.

"Why?"

"You completely humiliated me!"

"What? You started it!"

Rachel shook her head. "No. You took it too far."

"Would it help if I told you what my favorite memory of last night is?" Ivy purred, sliding her arms around the reluctant redhead's waist and nuzzling her cheek.

"Maybe," Rachel couldn't help but smile.

"Mmm," Ivy purred. "Well, obviously dancing with you in the club is right up there," she whispered, tracing the tip of her nose up and down Rachel's neck. "You looked so incredibly sexy out on that dance floor…"

"You should have seen yourself Iv," Rachel murmured, allowing herself to relax a little into the vampire's embrace.

"Well thank you," Ivy whispered. "But you really were breathtaking, Dear Heart. We must go try that again."

"Mmm," Rachel purred happily, closing her eyes and allowing the silky sexiness of the vampire's voice to wash over her.

"But for as sexy as you looked at the club, you were mind-numbingly-drop-dead-fucking-gorgeous when you were sprawled across our bed and I was finally able to run my tongue over every inch of your naked body. The way you felt moving against me as I made love to you, gaaaaawd," she sighed. "The sounds pouring out of your mouth as I licked and kissed that most intimate part of you," she murmured, running a hand down the witch's front to cup her gently through her shorts. "Mmm. Heaven. And the sweet taste of you that flooded my mouth as you came? Unf," she finished, grinning as she nuzzled the redhead's neck.

"Mmmmmmmmm," Rachel moaned.

"That is my favorite memory of last night," Ivy murmured, spinning the redhead around in her arms so she could kiss her. "The rest was fun, don't get me wrong, but making love to you was by far my favorite part of the evening."

Rachel lifted herself up onto her tiptoes – Ouch – to lay a soft kiss onto Ivy's even softer lips. "I love you Ivy."

"Hmm," Ivy smiled, her eyes warm melted chocolate as she leaned in to capture the redhead's lips in a kiss full of unspoken promises. "I love you too Rache."

Chapter 8

Friday Afternoon

"So," Ivy drawled as she sidled in behind Rachel who was still busy cleaning up in the kitchen. "Where are Trouble One and Trouble Two?"

Rachel laughed as she leaned back into her love. "Erica took Jenks shopping for what she called 'appropriate clothing' for tonight. The two of them were out the door not even five minutes after he was big again."

"He's not using the company credit card is he?"

Rachel chuckled. "Nope. Erica was waving your father's card around and going on and on about how much fun they were going to have at the mall. And, of course, Jenks was hopping around like a little girl he was so excited. Damn that bug loves shopping."

"Well, I'm glad they're out having fun. How are you feeling?" Ivy murmured, pressing a soft kiss to the hollow behind the redhead's ear. "I know the backlash is pretty awful on these ones," she continued, avoiding the term 'curse' for fear it'd upset the witch.

Rachel closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm fine, Ivy. Really. What's a little more smut if it ensures we get to keep Jenks around for a few more years, right?"

"You're a good friend," Ivy whispered, squeezing Rachel just a little bit tighter.

Rachel set the spoon that she was cleaning down on the counter and spun around in the vampire's arms so that she was able to look Ivy in the eye. "I love you," she sighed, lifting herself up on her toes to kiss Ivy softly, reverently.

"Mmm," Ivy smiled into the kiss. "Can I show you how much I love you?"

Rachel groaned loudly and pulled the vampire closer. "I was beginning to think you'd never ask."

Friday Evening

"We got you guys presents!" Erica squealed as she and Jenks came skipping into the kitchen, each of them happily waving bags upon bags of new clothes.

Ivy looked up from her computer where she was busy looking into the information she needed for Mrs. Sarong's run. "Why is it that I'm thinking I don't want to know?" she drawled, smiling in spite of herself as she leaned back in her chair and snapped her computer shut.

"Because you're smart," Rachel answered with a laugh as she sat on the vampire's lap.

Erica just stuck her tongue out at the girls.

"So, do you want to see them?" Jenks asked in an overly happy sing-song voice.

"Sure," Ivy sighed dramatically. "Let's see it."

Erica pulled twin boxes out of one of her many bags. "Here you go sis!" the young vamp grinned as she handed the boxes to her sister.

"Does it matter who gets which box?" Ivy asked.

"Nope. They're the same," Jenks grinned.

"Uh oh," Rachel murmured.

Ivy gave the redhead a look that clearly said 'Yeah, tell me about it' before gamely tearing the paper of the package and opening the box. She stared, dumbfounded, before she pulled the garment out and held it aloft.

"Seriously?" she shook her head incredulously.

"We thought you could wear them tonight!" Jenks cackled before doubling over in laughter.

"I'm not wearing a Playboy bunny t-shirt," Ivy growled.

"Oh, c'mon Iv," Rachel held hers up speculatively. "I think they're cute."

At the Bar

"Jenks," Ivy drawled, leaning back in her chair and taking a sip of her drink. "I gotta tell ya, you clean up nice for a dirty old man. Even if you do look like you materialized off the side of an Abercrombie bag."

Jenks just grinned and did a slow spin, showing off his new clothes.

"So," Erica laughed as she checked her phone for to see what time it was. "Who's going first?"

"I think Rache should go first since they lost," Jenks grinned. "She can be my warm-up act!"

"Please," Ivy scoffed. "If anybody needs a warm-up act, it's Rachel. You should go first."

"Huh?" Rachel asked.

"Oh yeah?" Jenks countered.

"Yeah," Ivy answered, leaning in toward the super-sized pixy challengingly.

"What?" Rachel tried to interrupt.

"Care to make a little bet?" Jenks asked, completely ignoring Rachel's protestations.

"Sure," Ivy grinned. "How about… whichever performance gets the most applause when we're up there wins."

Jenks nodded. "Sounds fair. What are we betting?"

"Whatever," Ivy shrugged. "Whoever wins gets to choose."

Jenks laughed and rubbed his hands together greedily. "Oh … this is too good! You're on Tamwood!"

"You're going down Little Man," Ivy laughed, downing her drink and standing. "I'll be right back," she told the group before heading down the hall toward the restrooms.

Ten minutes later

"All right Howl!" Anna, the owner of the club, bellowed through the mic as she jumped up onto the stage. "You're in for a special treat tonight – we have some guest performers here for you guys!"

The crowd hooted, hollered and whistled their approval. Partly because they thought that the 'guest performers' would be experienced musicians, and mostly because they'd been drinking for a while already.

"Great," Anna grinned. "I know you're going to like these guys. The one and only Ivy Tamwood will be playing piano for these performances…"

She was interrupted by applause from the audience which caused Ivy to blush profusely at the piano.

"So," Anna continued, waving her hand to quiet the crowd, "please put your hands together for our first performer – Ms. Rachel Morgan!"

The crowd started clapping and cheering again as Rachel took her spot next to the piano, nodded at Ivy that she was ready, and started to sing.

The real me is a southern girl with her Levis on and an open heart
Wish I could save the world, like I was super girl

Jenks leaned in to Erica and chuckled, "I can't believe she chose this song!"

Erica cocked her head thoughtfully. "I dunno. The chorus suits her pretty good," she murmured as Rachel sashayed around the piano to stand behind Ivy and place her hand upon the vampire's shoulder as she hit the chorus section of the song.

Cause with you
I can let my hair down
I can say anything crazy
I know you'll catch me right before I hit the ground
With nothing but a T-shirt on
I never felt so beautiful
Baby as I do now
Now that I'm with you

"Hmm," Jenks chuckled as he watched Ivy smile up at the redhead and whisper 'I love you'. "You're right. That does kind of fit her doesn't it? Every other word out of that girl's mouth is something crazy."

You speak and it's like a song
And just like that all my walls come down
It's like a private joke just meant for us to know

"That is more like Ivy in their relationship though," Erica whispered. "God, she's so whipped by that witch."

Jenks smiled and laughed.

Rachel started finding her confidence on stage when the crowd began singing along with her, all apprehension disappearing as she watched the faceless strangers in the audience smiling and singing along with her as she hit the next chorus section.

With you
I can let my hair down
I can say anything crazy
I know you'll catch me right before I hit the ground
With nothing but a T-shirt on
I never felt so beautiful
Baby as I do now (Baby as I do now)
Now that I'm with you

Rachel actually performed through the remainder of the song, and when it was finished she took a rather embarrassed bow as the crowd clapped and cheered enthusiastically, the noise growing louder as she leaned over the piano to give Ivy a quick peck on the cheek before returning to her spot at the table.

When the applause finally died down Anna grabbed the mic and jumped back up onto the stage.

"Next up – Jenks!" she practically squealed, her gaze unflinching as she mentally undressed the buck as he approached the stage. "Here you go," she murmured breathlessly as she handed the pixy the microphone. "Knock 'em dead."

Jenks grinned and kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks!"

He moseyed to the center of the stage, the exaggerated sway added to his strut causing several women in the front row to blush, and nodded back at Ivy that he was ready.

As much as she hated to admit it, Ivy was rather looking forward to this song. One, the song was fun to play, and two, she knew Jenks was going to totally nail it.

Your lipstick stains on the front lobe of my left side brains

The pixy started crooning, two handing the microphone and slowly rolling his hips with the music

I knew I wouldn't forget you, and so I went and let you blow my mind
Your sweet moon beam, the smell of you in every single dream I dream
I knew when we collided, you're the one I have decided who's one of my kind

Jenks started hopping in place as the beat of the song picked up tempo for the chorus.

Hey soul sister, ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio, stereo, the way you move ain't fair, you know!
Hey soul sister, I don't want to miss a single thing you do...tonight
Hey, hey, hey

Jenks grinned at the women swooning in the front row and began strutting around the stage as he sang, dancing with the music, punctuating the ends of lines with an over-the-top bump-and-grind that looked much more inappropriate now that he was big than when he pulled a similar move at his normal size.

The way you can cut a rug, watching you's the only drug I need
You're so gangsta, I'm so thug, you're the only one I'm dreaming of
You see, I can be myself now finally, in fact there's nothing I can't be
I want the world to see you be with me

Ivy was right, of course, Jenks had the crowd eating out of his now much larger palm as he danced around the little stage singing. Out of the corner of her eye the vampire could have sworn she saw a handful of women waving dollar bills in the air at the energetic pixie.

Hey soul sister, ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio, stereo, the way you move ain't fair, you know!
Hey soul sister, I don't want to miss a single thing you do tonight,
Hey soul sister, I don't want to miss a single thing you do...tonight
Hey, hey, hey

Hey, hey, hey

Tonight

Jenks finished with a flourish and took a rather overdramatic bow before hopping off the stage and running over to where Erica and Rachel were sitting.

"Woo-Hoo!" he laughed. "I win!"

Unbeknownst to the trio at the table, Ivy was grinning up at the piano and smiling at the crowd as she worked the microphone that Anna handed her back into the holder atop the instrument.

"What the…" Rachel murmured as she took in the sight of her girlfriend still up on stage fiddling with the mic position.

"Hunh?" Erica mumbled as she followed Rachel's gaze up to the stage. "What's she doing?" the young vamp looked at her partner in crime questioningly.

Erica and Jenks stared at each other for a few seconds before they both muttered. "The bet."

"You didn't limit it to just you and Rachel!" Erica muttered.

"She wouldn't…," Jenks answered, his tone much more confident than the look in his eyes.

"Hi there," Ivy muttered embarrassedly into the microphone - being center of attention was definitely nowhere near her comfort zone. "I'm Ivy," she ducked her head in greeting, "and I just figured that since I'm up here and all that I'd have a go at singing too."

The crowd went nuts. "Hell yeah!" some random voice called out from the back of the bar.

Ivy grinned. "Thank you."

"Oh hell no," Erica groaned as she watched her sister's posture shift from relaxed to sultry behind the ivories. "Did you know she was planning this," she hissed at Rachel.

Rachel just shook her head no, unable to tear her eyes away from her tall dark and insanely sexy vampire up on stage. Her Ivy. Up on stage. It was entirely too good to be true.

"I'd like to dedicate this song to the most amazing woman on the planet," the vampire murmured into the microphone, her eyes locked onto Rachel's in the front row.

Rachel blushed and blew a kiss at her girlfriend. Ivy grinned and blew a kiss back at the redhead before lowering her hands to the keys and turning back to the piano.

It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart
Without saying a word you can light up the dark
Try as I may I could never explain
What I hear when you don't say a thing

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all

Jenks looked over at Rachel who was staring, transfixed, at her girlfriend whose fingers were dancing across the ivories and whose voice was strong, confident, and completely filled to overflowing with love as she poured her heart into the song in a very un-Ivy like fashion.

"We're hosed," he leaned in and muttered in Erica's ear.

"Totally," Erica agreed quietly, the tears rolling down Rachel's face a sure sign that they were doomed.

All day long I can hear people talking out loud
But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd
Old Mr. Webster could never define
What's being said between your heart and mine

"She's amazing," a stranger's voice permeated the trio's consciousness. "Absolutely stunning. Best of the night, by far."

"She's mine," Rachel breathed, her eyes shining. She remembered telling Ivy how much she'd love to see her play in public, she just never thought she'd ever get the chance.

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all

The last note of the song was still echoing around the darkened room when Rachel stood up from her seat and started making her way up to Ivy at the piano. The vampire was frozen in place by the look of pure unadulterated desire in the redhead's lust darkened eyes. She licked her lips in anticipation as she watched Rachel hop easily up onto the stage and stride over to where she was still seated on the piano bench. Rachel moaned rather loudly (the sound amplified by the mic that was still turned on) and grabbed Ivy by the front of her bunny shirt and pulled the vampire over for a possessive, probing, passionate kiss.

Forgetting they were in a room full of strangers for the second time in a week, Ivy groaned and quickly wrapped her hands around Rachel's hips and pulled the witch down onto her lap. Long pianist fingers tangled themselves into wild red curls and pulled Rachel in closer still as the kiss grew deeper and more demanding, only breaking off when their need for air greatly outweighed their need for each other.

When they did pull apart, it was to realize that the entire bar was on their feet screaming, stomping, clapping and cheering the two beautiful women on stage. Ivy blushed and pulled Rachel in tight, wrapping her arms around the redhead as she looked over the witch's shoulder at her sister and Jenks who were sitting at their table pouting.

Ivy gave the crowd a small bow and a wave before hopping off the stage and heading over to her sister.

"Hi," she smiled.

"You suck V," Erica muttered.

"Yeah, that wasn't cool tricking us like that," Jenks pouted.

Ivy smirked. "Your own fault."

"So what do you want, oh ultimate winner?" Erica grumbled.

Ivy grinned triumphantly. "I want the beach house like we'd originally bargained for."

Epilogue

Rachel smiled as she watched Ivy stroll across the small paved walkway up to the front porch of the cabin. Damn that ass is just delicious.

"Thank you," Ivy called over her shoulder. "I'm rather fond of yours as well."

"I said that out loud, huh?" Rachel asked as she pulled her bag out of the trunk.

"Yeah," Ivy smiled.

"Well that's embarrassing," Rachel muttered as she slammed the trunk closed and made her way up to the front porch.

"It's okay."

Damn vampire super-hearing. "You're lucky you're cute," Rachel muttered as she stopped beside her girlfriend.

"Only cute?" Ivy drawled, sidling closer to the redhead and pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

"Mmm," Rachel grinned and wrapped her arms around the vampire's neck. "Okay, more than cute."

Ivy smiled and leaned in to capture Rachel's lips in a soft adoring kiss. "How much more?"

"Let me show you," Rachel purred, grabbing ivy's hand and pulling her through the front door.

Ivy hummed quietly to herself as she wandered up the narrow root riddled path to the cabin. She and Rachel had wandered down to the beach for a swim to rinse off the sweat they'd managed to work up shortly after arriving, the cool water feeling absolutely amazing after being so worked up. She'd left Rachel sunbathing down on the beach with strict orders to keep her ass there so that she could get things ready up at the cabin.

She entered the house to the sound of her cell phone ringing in the pocket of her shorts that had somehow ended up on the rustic chandelier hovering nine feet above the foyer. Well, hell. How am I supposed to reach that? Eh, doesn't matter, she thought to herself as she padded barefoot over hand hewn pine floors to the porch. To say she was excited about tonight was a colossal understatement.

"So, what's the big surprise," Rachel giggled as Ivy theatrically covered her eyes as they got closer to the cabin.

"If I told you, Dear Heart, then it wouldn't be a surprise – now would it?" Ivy leaned in and whispered in the redhead's ear.

Ivy carefully led Rachel up the back stairs leading to the screened-in porch and, holding the door open with her free hand, led the two of them inside the open room. She took a quick glance around the space to make sure it was just as she'd imagined before whispering, "I am going to take my hand away now, could you close your eyes?"

Rachel nodded.

"Good girl," Ivy murmured.

She pulled her hand away from her love and took a couple quick steps off to the side so she was in the perfect position to capture Rachel's expression when she finally opened her eyes. Rachel looked so beautiful in the soft glow that filled the room, her flawless skin left exposed from her bikini looked as if it was being caressed by the flickering lights and embraced by the shadows.

"Ivy?" Rachel whispered.

"Open your eyes."

Rachel opened her eyes and gasped, her right hand immediately flying to cover her mouth as she gaped, openly gaped, at the beautiful scene Ivy had set. There were hundreds of tea lights littered around the room – on the floor, tables, chairs, basically any surface flat enough to hold the small candles was covered in them – and a delicate bundle of one blue iris (her favorite) and a single blood red rose (Ivy's) laid in the middle of the gigantic bed that occupied the majority of the room.

Ivy watched Rachel slowly spin in place as she took in the entire room, watched the way her hand that had flown to cover her mouth upon the initial reveal had slid down to fist over her heart as she spied the flowers on the bed. She desperately wanted to ask the witch what she thought, but was struck speechless by the sheer beauty of the redhead's visage as she stood in the middle of that engineered rustic porch surrounded by candlelight and the fleeting red rays of the setting sun.

Rachel finished her slow spin when her eyes landed on Ivy. "It's beautiful," she murmured, holding her hand out for her love to come closer.

Ivy's smile was magnificent as she closed those few steps separating them to gather Rachel in her arms and hold her tenderly. "You like it?" she couldn't help asking.

Rachel looked up into curious brown eyes and smiled. "I love it. It's beautiful. Thank you."

Ivy's eyes softened as she lowered her forehead to rest against Rachel's her hands tightened around the redhead's hips. "You're beautiful," she murmured tenderly.

"Mmm," Rachel hummed as she pulled Ivy in for a kiss. "I love you."

"I love you Rachel," Ivy breathed, before capturing Rachel's lips in a kiss that was full of unspoken desire as she easily swept the redhead off her feet and carried her over to the bed.

Rachel smiled into the kiss as she felt herself being lifted into her lover's arms, and immediately arched into Ivy as she was swept away by the overwhelming emotion pouring out of both of them into their kiss. She moaned softly as she felt Ivy carefully lower them onto the bed, sighed as she felt Ivy settle in beside her.

Ivy purred low in her chest as she felt Rachel relax into the mattress, as she felt the redhead's hips roll ever so slightly into her own. She made quick work of removing Rachel's bikini and it was only seconds later that her own landed silently forgotten on the floor. She growled softly as she felt the length of Rachel's naked body pressed into her own, shivered slightly when Rachel's fingers started grasping gently at her hips.

Rachel reveled in the way Ivy felt against her as the vampire responded to her touch. Her need growing hotter as small gasps and moans fell from Ivy's lips between deep languid kisses.

Ivy smiled slightly at the small pleading moan that escaped Rachel as she pulled away from her lips. "Rachel," she murmured, nuzzling the redhead's cheek on the way to her ear.

"Mmm?"

"I would like to make love to you now," she whispered against her ear.

There were countless witty remarks on the tip of her tongue, but the overwhelming emotion of the moment bowled her over and all she could do was nod and answer simply, "Please."

She felt the bed shift ever so slightly beneath her and opened her eyes to find Ivy perched above her, the vampire's molten chocolate eyes full of love caressing her face, the sweetest most delicate smile ghosting her lips.

Ivy slowly reached over her lover's pale body to pick up the small bundle of flowers. She pulled the end of the ribbon holding them together and let it fall to the bed, holding tight to the rose as she carefully set the iris on the small side table.

"I love you," she whispered as she picked up Rachel's hand and began slowly running the silky cool petals of the rose against her palm.

Rachel's eyes fluttered closed at the sensation of the flower brushing against her skin, groaned softly as Ivy began slowly trailing the blossom up her arm, over her neck to her lips before continuing its path down the other side of her jaw and throat. She squirmed slightly as the fragile petals spiraled around her left breast, gasped softly as the deceptively firm petal raked across her nipple.

Ivy stared transfixed by the liquid emotion transforming Rachel's face as she slowly ran the flower over her body. Groaned silently as she watched Rachel's hips arch into the bud as it ghosted over the hollow of her hip, moaned loudly at the way Rachel rolled her leg invitingly out to the side as she ran the rose up her thigh.

Rachel opened her eyes when she noticed the absence of the flower moving against her and fell into Ivy's eyes which showed only the thinnest ring of brown. Green eyes tracked the deliberate movement of the vampire's hand as she set the flower beside its mate, followed the purposeful movement of the vampire's lips as they were lowered to her own.

Ivy moaned as she finally recaptured Rachel's lips with her own, and the kiss that she'd intended to be brief and tender quickly became deep and passionate – both women falling victim to their overwhelming desire for the other. Ivy eventually managed to pull away from the kiss and began laying soft hot wet open mouthed kisses down the redhead's throat. She stopped to playfully nip at Rachel's collarbone before continuing down through the valley between her breasts. She paused in her southward journey to savor Rachel's breasts, to slowly spiral her tongue around one firm mound until she reached the peak where she captured the waiting nipple between her lips to suck gently, to flick her tongue across quickly causing Rachel to arch into her, before replacing her mouth with her hand and moving to pay similar attention to the redhead's other breast.

Rachel writhed under Ivy's meticulous attentions, moaned pleadingly as the vampire took her time playing at her breasts when all she wanted was for the onyx haired beauty to keep moving down her body to where she was literally throbbing with need.

Ivy smiled as she felt Rachel's frustrations grow, as she felt the way Rachel's hips began lifting off the bed to push into her more and more frequently as she licked, nipped, and sucked at her breasts. Finally taking pity on the girl, she let the nipple captured between her lips fall with a wet pop and placed one last adoring kiss to the painfully aroused nub before she again resumed her downward journey.

Rachel moaned softly as she felt Ivy finally, finally, begin sliding down her body, unabashedly spreading her legs for her lover as Ivy slid further down her torso.

Ivy easily settled herself between Rachel's parted thighs and breathed in the heady aroma of the redhead's arousal, a low feral growl of want reverberating in her chest as her eyes roamed the witch's wet swollen folds.

"Damn Ivy, please," Rachel gasped as she felt the vampire hovering above her.

Ivy smiled and Rachel could have sworn she heard the vampire murmur happily, 'Mine' before tenderly running her tongue up the redhead's slit.

Rachel gasped at that first contact, her body reacting as if it'd been electrocuted – bucking wildly into the touch, desperately seeking more.

Ivy hummed happily as she slowly ran her tongue over Rachel's folds, through her arousal to dip quickly inside before traveling up to tenderly tease her need swollen clit. She purred as she repeated the path over and over again, down, around and through, stopping to plunge into Rachel and gather more of her sweet honey before capturing the witch's clit between her lips to suck and tease with quick flicks and slow flat strokes of her tongue.

Rachel's hand searched blindly for something to hold on to, finally tangling themselves in the sheets as the fast building wave inside her threatened to sweep her away with every loving stroke of the vampire's tongue.

Ivy felt the way Rachel's body was twitching under her hands, her mouth, her tongue, and knew that the witch was dangerously close to the edge. She desperately wanted to look Rachel in the eye as the witch came, so she placed one last kiss to the redhead's lower lips before quickly snaking up her body to claim her mouth with a deep, possessive, passionate kiss.

"Please," Rachel gasped into Ivy's lips, her body literally aching to be released.

Ivy smiled as she slid her hand over the witch's mound to cup her gently. "I want to watch you come," she murmured, easily sliding two fingers into Rachel's tight quivering heat.

Rachel gasped at the sudden feeling of fullness, her body instantly grabbing onto Ivy's long fingers as they began slowly moving inside her.

Ivy watched the way Rachel's eyes fluttered closed as she began sliding in and out of her, felt the way the witch's body was clenching around her, thrusting up into her hand as she slowly thrust in and out. She stilled her hand and murmured, "Open your eyes."

Rachel groaned under her lover at those three simple words and fought to wrench her eyes open.

Ivy smiled tenderly as she saw Rachel's eyes slowly open, her breath knocked out of her as she took in the redhead's desire blown eyes – the need in those green ringed orbs making her stomach clench.

"I love you," she murmured as she curled her fingers inside Rachel to hit that one magical spot. She held her love's eyes captive as she resumed her thrusts, this time curling her fingers on every down stroke to bring Rachel closer and closer to the edge.

Rachel moaned and writhed under Ivy's hand, and when she felt the vampire's thumb press softly into her clit and began rubbing against it in time with her thrusts the orgasm that had been building inside her finally broke. She had to fight to keep her eyes open to hold Ivy's loving gaze as wave after wave of release rolled through her, somehow managing through a sheer force of will to keep her eyes open until the very last tremor rocked through her.

Ivy waited until she felt Rachel's body stop twitching and the redhead's eyes closed in exhaustion before she pressed a soft adoring kiss to her lover's lips as she slowly, tenderly, withdrew her fingers. She gathered Rachel in her arms and held her close, pressing soft kisses to the redhead's lips, cheeks, shoulder as she waited for her to come down from her high.

Rachel smiled as she came back to herself and pressed a soft kiss to Ivy's lips. "I love you," she murmured, burying her head in the hollow of the vampire's throat.

They laid wrapped in each other for an indeterminate amount of time that seemed like forever and not nearly long enough at the same time, only breaking apart at the first crack of a firework.

Rachel sat up on the bed and stared. "I didn't really think we'd be able to see them from here," she grinned.

"We used to sit out here as kids and watch the show every year," Ivy murmured. "Ever since I realized that I loved you I'd always dreamed of brining you up here and making love to you with the lights and the sounds of the fireworks firing in the background."

Rachel cocked her head and bit her lip as she appraised her lover. She leaned in and kissed Ivy softly, tenderly, adoringly. "I really want to make love to you right now baby," she purred.

Ivy could only moan, the wild hungry look in the witch's eyes driving all words from her brain.

Rachel smiled and lowered her lips to Ivy's neck, teasing the sensitive skin as the sky flashed red, blue, white and green above her.

It might not be exactly what she'd fantasized, Ivy thought as she fell into the redhead's adoring caress, but damn if it wasn't better.

The End

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