CHAPTER 25

“AM I  dissturbing you?”

Startled, Ekimmu glanced around. Sarpe stood a few feet away, dressed in tan slacks and a cream satin shirt, her hands tucked in her front pockets.

“Never,” she replied, smiling brightly. “Just remembering the last time I was here.”

“Pleassant memories, I hope.”

“Bittersweet, but mostly pleasant.”

“That’ss good. Sso have you fed?”

“No, I was just looking.”

“Then I will meet you at your hotel,” Sarpe said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Feed well. I’ve misssed you. Tonight I too am hungry.”

Ekimmu grinned as she watched the spirit disappear into the shadows. Thirty minutes later, she finished the hunt and hurried to her room, happily satiated and looking forward to a night with her lover.

Sarpe was stretched out on the bed watching television. A nature series called “Snake Hunter” was premiering.

“These humans are a sstrange sspecies. They live in fear of my kin, yet they are awed and mysstified by us. We are their ssaviour for disease and a demon in their dreams and beliefss.”

“I suppose it’s because yours is the only species that is identified with the beginnings of their race. There’s a mystique about snakes, the way they move, their eyes, their very existence.”

“True. We are unique.” Sarpe turned off the television. “Sso, what shall we do now?” she asked, flicking her eyebrows, a gesture she had seen others do whenever they were insinuating lewd or lascivious acts.

“Well, now...” Ekimmu winked. “I think we can certainly come up with something to keep us entertained.”

Ekimmu took off her blouse to expose bare breasts and tossed it over a chair.

“I have no doubt,” Sarpe agreed, her golden eyes glowing.

Sliding her slacks off her hips and down her legs, Ekimmu stepped sideways and placed a knee on the bed, straddling Sarpe with her arms.

“So what would you like?” she whispered, leaning down so her warm breath caressed the spirit’s ear.

Before she knew it, Sarpe had grabbed her and flipped her onto her back. Now on top, the spirit grinned mischievously. Sarpe liked the feel of grinning. There was something seductive in the way the lips pulled slightly upward without exposing the teeth.

“I would like you,” she murmured. “Hot, naked, writhing beneath me like my kin on the warm ssands of the desert. I want you wet and warm like ssummer rain, the liquid flowing from you like a mountain sstream.”

Ekimmu felt her heartbeat increase with every word spoken. Breathing rapidly, she stared into the spirit’s eyes. Dark brown pupils turned elliptical, while the irises glowed golden brown. Mesmerized, she understood how prey fell victim to the snake’s hypnotic stare. Sarpe lowered her long body onto her captive, moving seductively back and forth, then up and down along the length of Ekimmu’s warm body.

“You have shown me much about human ssexuality, Ekimmu. Now I will teach you about the sserpent’s sskills.”

Flicking her tongue against Ekimmu’s cheek, she stroked the jaw, then neck, before sliding it along the ridge of the ear.

“We may not have all the emotions you have, but we are a ssensual sspecies.”

Ekimmu could feel the moisture pooling between her thighs. Never before had Sarpe taken control of their lovemaking. The sound of her voice alone would have been enough to make her surrender, but her words were spoken slowly, softly, the tone low and husky. The image of two snakes wound tightly around each other, rubbing their bodies back and forth flashed through her mind.

“Yess, you ssee how it is with us.” She imitated the picture in Ekimmu’s mind by rubbing her body slowly up and down against Ekimmu. Sarpe let her tongue trail across the exposed breasts, circling the nipples several times before moving downward. Ekimmu was helpless, unable to resist Sarpe’s charm. Unsure whether she wanted to be so vulnerable, she groaned.

“I don’t control you. You need only wish it and I’ll sstop. Tonight, I am the teacher. We sstill have much to learn from each other. Do you wish me to continue?” She pulled back slightly.

Ekimmu nodded, unable to speak.

Smiling, Sarpe kissed her quickly on the lips. “Good” was all she said before lowering her mouth to the small, rounded belly. Again, her tongue traced a path to the navel and downward toward the dark curls. It was then Ekimmu noticed Sarpe’s tongue was split at the end, like a serpent. Knowing from their last encounter how skilled she was with it, Ekimmu spread her legs.

Accepting the invitation, Sarpe flicked her tongue several times through the hair, then used the forked tips to separate the lips before working it deeper. Ekimmu gasped as the two tips moved quickly, but separately around her clit without actually touching the sensitive organ.

“Sarpe! Please,” she groaned, staring into the spirit’s elliptical eyes. Never again would she think snakes had cold lifeless eyes. Sarpe’s burned hot from an unquenchable passion.

“Pleasse what?”

“I... don’t... know,” Ekimmu gasped, confused.

“I do,” Sarpe whispered, caressing the clit slowly.

Ekimmu arched her back, trying to push her hips upward. Holding her down, Sarpe increased the tempo of the caresses, her tongue moving rapidly back and forth, the tips circling the hood and flicking it for a few seconds before changing to a slow tease. She intended on rewarding her lover for the patience she had shown during the past several months. It would be an all night affair.

 

*  *  *

Ekimmu was exhausted. She had never experienced such intense pleasure. Sarpe lay beside her with her head resting on the woman’s stomach. As a spirit, she had tremendous energy reserves, but she had expended most of it trying to please her lover. Satisfied that she had succeeded, she now drew strength from Ekimmu.

Looking down at the blond head resting on her belly, Ekimmu ran her fingers gently through the short hair, fascinated at the faint diamond pattern visible on her scalp. Tracing one of the patterns with a fingertip, she smiled tenderly.

“I don’t think you need lessons anymore,” she teased and laughed softly.

“Oh, I’ll alwayss need lessons. Thiss is jusst the beginning,” Sarpe promised.

Both women grew silent, each lost in her own thoughts about the future. Neither wanted to dwell too much on it. With luck, they would have centuries to explore their feelings, perhaps even a millennium or two. About to comment, Ekimmu felt Sarpe stiffen.

“What is it?” she asked, pushing up onto her elbows.

“Be sstill!” Sarpe ordered, her voice distant.

Frowning at the tone, Ekimmu reluctantly obeyed.

“One of yourss has died!” Sarpe said matter-of-factly.

“What?”

“One of your people has died. The one called Ramuss.”

“How do you know?” Ekimmu asked, sitting up.

“Because one of mine killed him.”

The lack of emotion gave Ekimmu an uneasy feeling.

“An accident?”

“No, it wass intentional.”

“I don’t understand. What happened?”

“There wass a ritual. Often, my kin are part of them. Normally, nothing happens, although occasionally, there are accidentss. Thiss was no accident. Ssomeone forced his fangs into the man’s body.”

“Still, a snakebite wouldn’t kill him. At best he might feel slightly nauseated. Gebians don’t die from snakebites.”

“Perhaps, but Ramuss had the ssickness. He was weak. The hemotoxins desstroyed his ssystem within minutess. I’m ssorry,” Sarpe apologized, feeling guilty.

“It’s not your fault. Someone forced this on your kin. The world is a better place with him gone, but I still have to find out what happened. This could mean my people are in danger.”

“I’ll ssee what I can find out. You musst go to New Orleanss. There you’ll find your ansswers.”

Standing, Sarpe leaned down and gave Ekimmu a hard kiss.

“Be ssafe. Whoever killed him may already know more about your people than you wish. I’ll be nearby if you need me. You don’t need to whistle,” she added, remembering a movie she and Ekimmu had watched together late one night.

Before Ekimmu could say anything, the spirit was gone. Perhaps a better description would be simply faded away. It was the first time Sarpe had actually disappeared within her sight, proof she was disturbed over the situation.

Jumping to her feet, Ekimmu began planning her trip to Louisiana. Her first move was to make a couple of calls. She knew she’d need help once she was there.